JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Public, web-based COVID-19 dashboards are in use worldwide to communicate pandemic-related information. A global assessment during the early stages of the pandemic on the actionability of COVID-19 dashboards—as a predictor of their potential use for decision-making—revealed features conducive to their actionability were predominately absent. Given the unprecedented speed with which the dashboards were launched and their inherently dynamic nature, the evolution of COVID-19 dashboards with time merits exploration.

Objective:

To explore changes to COVID-19 dashboards in the Canadian context over the course of 2020, assessing how the dashboards developed and if the presence of actionability features changed over time.

Methods:

We conducted a descriptive assessment and expert appraisal with a panel of scorers (n=8) on a pan-Canadian sample of COVID-19 dashboards (n=26). Scorers assessed the dashboards at two points, in July and November 2020, using an assessment tool informed by communication theory and health care performance intelligence. Using Nominal Group Technique, scorers organized in panels of three, appraised the presence of the seven features of highly actionable dashboards at both time points.

Results:

Improvements were made to the dashboards over time, predominately related to data (specificity of geographic break downs, range of reported indicators, explanations of data sources/calculations) and advancements enabled by the technology used (customization of time trends, interactive/visual chart elements). Similarly, improvements to the presence of actionability features were most pronounced for providing data locally, reporting of time trends, and indicator management. No improvements on communicative elements (clarity of purpose and audience) were found. The use of story-telling techniques to narrate trends also remained largely absent from the dashboards.

Conclusions:

Improvements to COVID-19 dashboards in the Canadian context over the course of 2020 were mostly driven by advancements that appear related to data availability and dashboard technology. Further increasing the actionability of dashboards for use during public health crises calls for increased attention to both technical and organisational aspects of development processes, including better skill-mixing across disciplines, continued investment in data standards and clearer mandates of their developers for accountability and purpose-driven dashboards.