Less Manual Work, More Informed Decisions: What Does “Municipal DataLab” Offer to Municipalities?
The State Data Agency (Statistics Lithuania) is expanding the capabilities of the Municipal DataLab analytical tools to make the work of municipal specialists easier and to promote data-driven decision-making. The updated demographic analysis tool enables users to independently prepare analytical reports, while the population warning siren network modelling tool helps specialists from different institutions collaborate, assess infrastructure development alternatives, and plan more effective public warning measures.
Municipal specialists work with a wide range of data on a daily basis, from population size and age structure to public service needs and infrastructure planning. This information is essential for preparing strategic documents, planning budgets, implementing projects, and making decisions that directly affect residents.
However, searching for data, processing it, combining information from different sources, and creating visualisations can be time-consuming. The Municipal DataLab tools simplify these processes by enabling users to analyse relevant data within a single environment.
Updated demographic analysis tool – reports in just a few clicks
One of the most important new features of Municipality DataLab is the updated demographic analysis tool. In its second version, a report generation function has been introduced, enabling municipal specialists to independently carry out demographic analyses of residents, compare indicators, and download prepared data visualizations.
The tool uses Population Register data on residents’ sex, age, citizenship, and declared place of residence. Importantly, the information is presented with regard to the needs of specific areas of municipal activity.
For example, education specialists can access data on the number of children by educational stage, youth policy specialists can analyze data on residents aged 14–29, while employees working in the field of foreigner integration can examine the distribution of residents by citizenship and other characteristics.
The tool also makes it possible to analyse data on different population groups, for example, assessing the distribution of children with disabilities or foreign citizens across educational levels. Such analytical capabilities help municipalities better understand the needs of specific population groups and plan services accordingly.
Reda Švelniūtė, Advisor at the Geospatial and Regional Data Division of the State Data Agency, emphasizes that the tool was developed with a strong focus on the practical needs of municipal employees.
“Specialists working in different areas of municipal activity require data prepared in different ways, even when it comes from the same sources. Therefore, our aim was to ensure that each employee can immediately access information relevant to their specific tasks. Our goal is not only to provide access to data, but also to enable users to analyse and apply it easily in their day-to-day work”, says R. Švelniūtė.
From the municipality to a specific street
One of the tool’s distinctive features is the ability to analyse data at different territorial levels. Specialists can examine information at the level of the entire municipality, an eldership, a settlement, or a selected street, compare territories, and analyse changes in population size and structure.
For example, when planning education infrastructure, municipalities can assess how many children of pre-primary or primary school age live in specific elderships, settlements, or streets. These data help identify territorial differences and better evaluate the demand for educational services.
The tool also enables users to analyse changes in indicators over a longer period, allowing municipal specialists not only to assess the current situation but also to monitor demographic trends.
The most important new feature is the ability to immediately download maps, charts, and data tables prepared for analysis and reporting. The visualisations include data sources, indicator descriptions, and other relevant information, eliminating the need for additional preparation or formatting.
This functionality is particularly valuable when preparing municipal strategic development and operational plans, project documentation, analytical reviews, or budget planning materials. Employees can select the required indicators and territories and use the generated outputs directly in their documents.
“Previously, municipal employees had to search for data themselves, process it, prepare charts and maps, and in some cases even engage external consultants for these tasks. Now, a large share of this work can be carried out independently within a single environment. This not only saves time but also strengthens specialists’ ability to produce high-quality, data-driven analytical materials”, notes R. Švelniūtė.
Data help municipalities plan public safety measures more effectively
Another practical example of the application of Municipality DataLab tools is the population warning siren network planning tool developed by the State Data Agency.
Using this tool, specialists from municipalities and the Fire and Rescue Department (PAGD) can analyse the current distribution of warning sirens, assess the modelled coverage of warning signals, and evaluate various network development scenarios.
Users can specify the number of sirens planned for installation and their sound propagation radius. An optimisation algorithm then proposes potential installation locations based on population distribution, while seeking to minimise unnecessary overlap in siren coverage areas. The proposed solutions can be adjusted manually, with users immediately seeing how the changes would affect the modelled reach of warning signals.
Data help improve the planning of public safety measures
Another important feature of the tool is its support for collaborative work across different institutions using the same data. Specialists from municipalities and the Fire and Rescue Department (PAGD) can review created scenarios, compare results, discuss alternatives, and jointly identify the most suitable infrastructure development solution.
“When all institutions have access to the same data and can compare different scenarios, it becomes much easier to coordinate decisions. Municipal specialists may propose one siren deployment option, while PAGD representatives may suggest another, and the tool allows them to immediately assess how each change would affect population coverage. This creates opportunities to find a common, data-driven solution”, explains R. Švelniūtė.
The tool is already being tested in practice. Representatives of 13 institutions have used it to develop siren deployment scenarios. The prepared scenarios can be compared with one another, and summary reports, including maps and key indicators, can be saved in PDF format.
More opportunities for municipalities to make data-driven decisions independently
The demographic analysis and siren network modelling tools demonstrate how data can be applied to address a wide range of municipal challenges, from planning education services to improving public safety.
In both cases, the objective is to enable municipal specialists not only to access data but also to analyse it independently, compare alternative solutions, and clearly present the results.
This helps reduce administrative burdens, make more efficient use of available resources, and strengthen the analytical capabilities of municipal employees.
The State Data Agency also plans to further expand the capabilities of Municipality DataLab. New tools are planned for analysing the distribution of shelters and collective protection structures, while additional solutions are being considered to support the planning of evacuations for vulnerable population groups during emergencies.
To encourage more active use of these tools, attention is also being given to training municipal specialists, where practical data analysis and modelling capabilities are demonstrated.
The Municipality DataLab initiative helps strengthen data-driven local governance by providing specialists with greater autonomy and decision-makers with clearer and more comprehensive information needed to make decisions that matter to residents.
Last updated: 11-11-2026
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