State governments collect large amounts of data as they manage a wide range of public programs. Compiling data, however, is not the same as harnessing it. Pew’s research focused on identifying the extent to which states are leveraging their data to inform policy, budgeting, and operational decision-making.
Because the field is so new, no comprehensive source of information exists about how states are using data analytics to drive policy decisions and whether they face common challenges. As states consider how best to invest their resources, state leaders will benefit from research on how their counterparts across the country are using data as a strategic asset to make better decisions.
