Application of the Google Looker Studio tool for analyzing and visualizing data from an environmental research management system

Abstract

This study presents a proposal for the implementation of a tool for the analysis and visualization of data derived from an environmental research management system. A business intelligence (BI) tool, Google Looker Studio, was selected based on its alignment with the conceptual framework of information systems in public management, business intelligence, ETL (Extract, Transform and Load), and data visualization. The CadGP (Research Registry and Management) database, which is used for the management of research projects developed in state conservation units of the SIEFLOR (São Paulo State Forest System) areas, as well as within the scope of the Environmental Research Institute of the Secretariat for the Environment, Infrastructure, and Logistics of the State of São Paulo, was employed in this study. The database encompasses projects pertaining to Biodiversity, Botany, Forest Sciences, and Geosciences, with the latter being focused in this work. The outcomes and challenges encountered during the ETL process, along with the data analysis and visualization in Google Looker Studio, were elucidated. The tools utilized, all freely available, proved to be efficient in portraying project data and facilitating the research management process.