Data visualization to enhance informed decision-making on food security in Guatemala

• The Tableau course offered by the PiNN project will support effective data visualization and communication.

For three days, CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center), under the National Information Platform on Nutrition (PiNN) project, funded by the European Union in Guatemala, conducted a workshop focused on the use of the Tableau tool. The main objective of this workshop was to train participants in the development of data dashboards to support evidence-based decision-making.

According to Bersau Sofoifa, PiNN project technician in multisectoral data management, the workshop provided training to officials from the Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Directorate, specifically from the Information Systems Coordination (CSI) of the Secretariat of Food and Nutritional Security (SESAN). This aimed to enable them to develop and edit data visualizations, as well as understand the essential functionalities of the Tableau tool.

" Dashboards in Tableau are a way to present information clearly and concisely, using graphics, tables, and other visual elements to display a series of key indicators or relevant metrics, facilitating informed decision-making," said José Interiano, graphic designer for the PiNN project, who was in charge of the dashboard publication topic during the workshop.

The SESAN team expressed satisfaction with the knowledge shared in the workshop; Nery Peinados, application developer, indicated that the content was interesting and precise to expand knowledge in technological tools, which will support the creation of dashboards and the development of applications in the secretariat.

Tito Israel Ordóñez, responsible for server infrastructure at SESAN, mentioned that the course development has combined theory and practice to maintain progress in didactic and participatory content. "Having this knowledge will contribute to maintaining the systems provided by the PiNN project," commented Ordóñez.

Regarding the use of this tool in institutional work, Maynor Culajay, systems coordinator, stated that it will be possible to update the already developed dashboards that have been transferred to SESAN. Likewise, José Folgar, responsible for Geographic Information System (GIS), pointed out that within SESAN's activities, access to Tableau knowledge will support the monitoring of food and nutritional security in Guatemala.

In conclusion, Eduardo Say, project coordinator for PiNN, added that the Tableau tool is an effective and versatile instrument for data visualization, which will aid decision-makers.