1 Understand your audience

The first step to making your monitoring data accessible is to understand who your audience is and what they want to know. Different stakeholders may have different interests, expectations, and levels of expertise. For example, regulators may want to see detailed reports and evidence of compliance, while community members may want to see how the monitoring affects their health and well-being. You should identify your target audience and tailor your data presentation and communication accordingly. You should also consider how to address any potential questions, concerns, or feedback from your audience.

2 Choose the right format

The next step is to choose the right format for your monitoring data. Depending on your audience and purpose, you may use different formats, such as tables, charts, maps, dashboards, or infographics. You should select the format that best suits the type and amount of data you have, as well as the key messages you want to convey. You should also make sure that your format is clear, consistent, and easy to understand. You should avoid using jargon, acronyms, or technical terms without explanation. You should also use appropriate labels, units, scales, and legends for your data.

3 Use online platforms

The third step is to use online platforms to share your monitoring data. Online platforms can offer many benefits, such as wider reach, faster updates, interactive features, and user feedback. There are many online platforms available for sharing monitoring data, such as websites, blogs, social media, or dedicated platforms like EnviroDIY or DataStream. You should choose the platform that best fits your needs and preferences, as well as the needs and preferences of your audience. You should also ensure that your platform is secure, reliable, and user-friendly.

4 Follow ethical principles

The fourth step is to follow ethical principles when sharing your monitoring data. This will ensure accuracy, credibility, and respect for the data. Data quality should be checked and any limitations, uncertainties, or errors should be documented and reported. Data ownership should be respected and permission from the data owners should be obtained before sharing their data. Privacy and confidentiality of the data subjects and users must be protected and any sensitive or personal data should be anonymized or aggregated before sharing. Lastly, you must be accountable for the data you share and acknowledge and cite the data sources and contributors.

5 Evaluate and improve

The final step is to evaluate and improve your monitoring data sharing. You should monitor and measure the effectiveness and impact of your data sharing, such as the reach, engagement, feedback, and outcomes. You should also seek and incorporate feedback from your audience and stakeholders, as well as from your peers and experts. You should also review and update your data regularly, as well as your data presentation and communication strategies. You should also learn from best practices and examples of other environmental engineers who share their monitoring data successfully.