MINKA Dashboard
Dashboard for Evidence-Based Decision-Making with Citizen Science Data
The dashboard is a data visualization platform designed to support deliberation in multistakeholder initiatives by consolidating and interpreting citizen science data. Specifically, it integrates biodiversity observations from the MINKA citizen observatory, offering a tool to facilitate decision-making through interactive visualizations and analytics. Using Python-based technologies, it extracts and processes data from MINKA’s API, transforming raw observations into structured insights. The core technologies include Streamlit for interactive dashboards, Plotly for graphical data representation, and Folium for geospatial visualizations.
A key feature of the dashboard is its adaptability to project-specific needs. Each implementation undergoes a co-design process to ensure it addresses the specific requirements of stakeholders. The interface enables users to explore biodiversity trends, taxonomic data, and biological research insights while also tracking community participation and engagement levels.
Basic Technologies Used
Framework and Technologies:
Backend & Data Processing
Python, Minka API,
mecoda-minka Python module
Dashboard Development
Streamlit
Data Visualization
Plotly (graphs), Folium (maps)
Data Access & Formats
RESTful API access; outputs in CSV (tabular data), PNG (plots), and HTML (maps)
Usefulness in GUARDEN Case Studies
The implementation of MINKA public participation tools was centred around the Spanish case study. Focusing on this citizen science-based case study allowed the project to prototype, implement, and test a cycle from data collection to visualization to deliberation. The implementation of citizen science technologies requires the articulation of both social and technological components.
MINKA developed a data flow across the public participation tools refined or created under GUARDEN, starting from data collection in the MINKA platform. Using an API, the data is passed to a dashboard, visualised and summarised in a “highlights” section. This dashboard section consolidates critical information specifically tailored for Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB), the primary stakeholder, to inform actionable items. The aggregated data supports planning activities such as beach cleaning and invasive species removal, with updates provided at regular intervals based on AMB’s requirements.
Additionally, the MINKA data and dashboard are connected to two platforms: the virtual assistant and the forum. The AI virtual assistant is a chatbot that utilizes MINKA data to create reports and conversational environments to support and facilitate user comprehension of the data. The community forum where members discuss insights, results, and potential actions based on triggers from the das. This integration of the dashboard and forum fosters active community engagement and provides a feedback loop that enhances decision-making and collaborative problem-solving.
Contact Information
- Jaume Piera | EMBIMOS research group
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC)
- jpiera@icm.csic.es
- help@minka-sdg.org