Data Sheet 1_Usability and usefulness of U. S. federal and state public health data dashboards: implications for improving data access and use.pdf

IntroductionDashboards that afford timely access to credible, relevant, and actionable data can significantly improve public health decision-making at all levels. As dashboards becomes more ubiquitous, it is imperative to proactively consider how they may be optimally designed to be usable and useful to users.
MethodsA cluster probability sample of U. S. federal and state public health dashboards (N = 210) was utilized to describe and compare common design elements and data characteristics of dashboards. A standardized valid and reliable instrument was used to extract data for assessing dashboards’ usability and usefulness.
ResultsDashboards are primarily designed for epidemiological surveillance and assessing disparities. Both federal and state dashboards rely heavily on data collected by federal agencies but many state dashboards also draw on local data. Vulnerable subpopulations are underrepresented in data used in dashboards. Federal dashboards score higher than state dashboards on usability but are comparable in usefulness. About one-third of state dashboards are hosted on third-party platforms and are prone to access disruptions.
ConclusionUsability and usefulness of public health dashboards can be significantly enhanced by streamlining and enhancing users’ experience and incorporating additional customization and analytical affordances. A uniform set of best-practices and standards for optimizing dashboard design and implementation does not yet exist as research on this topic is lagging. Policy implications: Additional federal and state investments are needed to build and maintain a robust infrastructure for developing, improving, and sustaining public health dashboards and incentivize rigorous, theory grounded research to optimize usability and usefulness of dashboards.

【引言】能够让使用者及时获取可信、相关且可操作数据的公共卫生仪表盘（dashboard），可显著改善各层级的公共卫生决策。随着仪表盘的普及度日益提升，主动考量如何对其进行优化设计以保障良好的可用性与实用性，已成为当务之急。
【方法】本研究采用整群概率抽样方法，选取美国联邦与州级公共卫生仪表盘（共计210个，N=210）作为研究样本，对仪表盘的常见设计要素与数据特征开展描述与对比分析。本研究使用经过验证且信效度俱佳的标准化工具，提取相关数据以评估仪表盘的可用性与实用性。
【结果】公共卫生仪表盘的核心设计目标为流行病学监测与健康差异评估。联邦与州级仪表盘均高度依赖联邦机构采集的数据，但多数州级仪表盘还会纳入本地数据。当前仪表盘所使用的数据中，弱势亚群体的代表性严重不足。联邦级仪表盘在可用性评分上显著高于州级仪表盘，但二者在实用性层面表现相当。约三分之一的州级仪表盘部署于第三方平台，易出现访问中断问题。
【结论】通过优化用户体验并增设个性化定制与分析功能，可显著提升公共卫生仪表盘的可用性与实用性。目前尚未形成一套统一的仪表盘设计与实施优化最佳实践及标准，相关领域的研究仍存在滞后性。政策启示：需加大联邦与州级层面的投入，以构建并维护用于开发、改进及运维公共卫生仪表盘的稳健基础设施，并激励开展严谨且基于理论的研究，进一步优化仪表盘的可用性与实用性。