Data analysis tool Savivaldos DataLab: it becomes easier for municipalities to solve problems
Timely and conveniently available data is important for addressing arising issues, setting goals and finding the most effective means to achieve them. The State Data Agency (Statistics Lithuania), in close cooperation with municipalities, has developed and is presenting a data analysis tool – the Savivaldos DataLab (eng. Municipality DataLab) application.
For municipalities, the aforementioned tool is a priority task of the Agency since the beginning of the creation of the State Data Lake. The existing technological and related competence gap in smaller municipalities, compared to large or central government authorities, is enormous. On the basis of the most modern technologies, the Agency started to create the State Data Lake, in which, by 2026, it is planned to integrate several hundreds of state data resources managed by state or municipal authorities and bodies. Currently, our goal is to share data analysis opportunities provided by the Data Lake with municipalities, which would allow, without creating additional technological solutions, to move to a qualitatively new stage, i.e. data–based solutions.
By creating the application Savivaldos DataLab, the Agency wants to show that important state data not only could, but should be used in addressing every-day municipal issues, planning strategic goals, and, if necessary, in the field of managing crises and emergency situations.
“We have created the Savivaldos DataLab in order to ensure that, based on the data, all municipalities could properly assess the extent of the problems they face, their complexity, and find reasonable and objective answers. We are ready to train municipal specialists and show them how to use this new tool, all that is needed is their own initiative”, noted Dr Jūratė Petrauskienė, Director General of the State Data Agency.
At the moment, the Savivaldos DataLab provides an opportunity to analyze relevant issues, such as education, evacuation of the most vulnerable groups of society, and infrastructure. In the opinion of the Agency’s team, these are the most illustrative topics that can convince municipalities to overcome a kind of internal scepticism and start using the tool. In turn, the Agency is ready to help in every step: by organizing remote or live presentations, trainings, or, if necessary, internships for municipal analysts at the Agency. It is not by chance that the Agency names data analysts: these are people who can get data “talking”, and here the Agency can also share its experience in attracting, selecting, and training such people.
Using the data on education prepared by the Savivaldos DataLab, it is already possible to observe how the atypical migration of students is taking place, and to analyze the indicators of student class attendance. Atypical migration is considered an event when a student changes an educational institution to another within a radius of 20 km, although according to the educational program offered by the primary institution, he (she) could continue his (her) studies there. The available data shows the number of atypical migrations, classes of migrating students, information about the primary and new schools. Separately presented attendance indicators allow to estimate the average number of missed and unexcused (unjustified) lessons, to find out what age students miss lessons most often.
Another issue being addressed is preparing for a larger–scale and broader crisis. Until now, lists of elderly people and persons with disabilities who would need assistance during evacuation have not been compiled. After reviewing distribution of people and their place of residence, information on the three nearest protection structures for the most vulnerable population has been prepared. The application also provides basic information about the person, such as age and gender, as well as additional data, such as whether there is a person living with them who can help them if needed.
The application Savivaldos DataLab makes possible the analysis of the state of buildings, i.e. energy performance. Using data on building characteristics and classes of their energy performance, buildings were assigned energy performance categories (high, medium, low). Average thermal energy consumption and average annual CO2 emissions per square meter in municipal streets are also predicted. The latter information was calculated by applying a machine learning model.
Municipalities wishing to use the Data Lake should contact the State Data Agency by e-mail [email protected] and then get access to SDG IS sandboxes. Users connected to the platform can upload their data there and perform the necessary analyses, share data with other institutions in a secure manner.
The project “Integration of State Information Resources into the Data Lake” is financed by the Economic Revitalization and Resilience Enhancement Plan “New Generation Lithuania” (RRF).