Decision-making is a part of our everyday lives. Whether consciously or subconsciously, and regardless of how our communities go about it, we all use data (pieces of information) to make our decisions. Data in its many forms helps us to define and understand an issue, build a plan for addressing it, and assess how the plan is working. However, the processes and contexts of data production can affect the quality and appropriateness of the decisions made.

This guidebook focuses on how we obtain and use the data that informs decisions — where it comes from, how we go about finding and using it, and, importantly, how to broaden the net of who participates in the data production process. The objective is to outline a process that you and your communities can use to plan towards using data for decision-making in ways that reflect the realities of your communities and are inclusive of different groups, practices, and values.