Internet and the use of data for International Affairs

Importance of numbers in International Affairs

Characteristics

So far we have introduced and described the concept of indicator but what are the properties a good indicator should have? What are the principles to tell a good indicator from a bad one?   IISD  has selected criteria to help create a minimum level of comparability, coherence and consistency between measures and their application to real-life situations.

Policy relevance
Can the indicator be associated with one or several issues around which key policies are formulated? Usually indicators are intended for audiences to improve the outcome of decision-making on levels ranging from individuals to the entire biosphere. Unless the indicator can be linked by readers to critical decisions and policies, it is unlikely to motivate action.

Simplicity
Can the information be presented in an easily understandable, appealing way to the target audience? Even complex issues and calculations should eventually yield clearly presentable information that the public understands.

Validity
Is the indicator a true reflection of the facts? Was the data collected using scientifically defensible measurement techniques? Is the indicator verifiable and reproducible? Methodological rigor is needed to make the data credible for both experts and laypeople.

Time-series data
Is time-series data available, reflecting the trend of the indicator over time? If based on only one or two data points, it is not possible to visualize the direction the community may be going in the near future.

Availability of affordable data
Is good quality data available at a reasonable cost or is it feasible to initiate a monitoring process that will make it available in the future? Information tends to cost money, or at least time and effort from many volunteers.

Ability to aggregate information
Is the indicator about a very narrow or broader issue? The list of potential indicators is on a specific issue is sometime endless. For practical reasons, indicators that aggregate information on broader issues should be preferred. Another key aspect is that indices simplify complex systems to often just one number. This is useful for decision-makers but if importaant pieces of information are missing or improperly represented in an index, that can give a false signal to them.