Tracking Network evolving to meet your data needs
A year ago we embarked on a multi-year project of redesigning Washington Tracking Network’s (WTN) web presence in response to community feedback. We've been working to make our pages easier to navigate and tools easier to understand. We looked at use patterns and developed a strategy for improving navigation and ease of use. Over the course of the next year you will see the realization of the planned WTN web redesign.
With this redesign we will:
- Reorganize the site map to make it easier to navigate
- Add buttons to each topic page for easy navigation
- Create instructional videos for our tools
- Add small infographics to our topic pages so visitors can quickly see a snapshot of important information
We will also respond to legislation that directs the use, upkeep, and enhancement of WTN tools and data. The Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act recommends covered agencies use WTN's Environmental Health Disparities (EHD) map and requires WTN to maintain and expand the map. Senate Bill 5052—Concerning the Creation of Health Equity Zones recommends use of the EHD map and WTN's data portal for identifying health equity zones and their specific needs.
Additionally, we will introduce StoryMaps as another way the Department of Health can communicate data. StoryMaps are a way to visualize data in an interactive narrative format. DOH has never published a StoryMap before, and there are currently two StoryMaps planned for 2022 that will use WTN data:
- Understanding and mitigating radon risks
- The impacts of a weatherization program on health, social vulnerability, and climate change
WTN serves as a valuable resource for data. By making our tools easier to use and our data easier to find, we are improving access to public health data, so people and organizations around the state can take more informed actions. We’ll share these new and updated resources when they become available.
If you have questions about how WTN can help your work, email DOH.WTN@doh.wa.gov.