Serving the Public: See How Government Agencies Use R, Python, Shiny, and Quarto to Drive Research and Data Science Modernization
Before working at Posit, I worked in government as a data analyst using R. I know firsthand the challenges of the public sector: tight budgets, complex mandates, and massive amounts of data that often sit locked in spreadsheets, PDFs, and network drives.
I care deeply about government and public service. I came to work at Posit with a specific mission: to help make data science more accessible in government so it can better serve its constituents in a cost-effective way.
That is why today is a special milestone for me. I am extremely proud to announce the launch of the Shiny in the Public Sector Gallery, a curated collection of Shiny and Quarto applications built by our customers. These applications show how modern government data science ranges from practical insight delivery to sophisticated modeling outputs that empower leaders and citizens to make smarter decisions faster.
Serving Constituents with Innovation
This gallery features Shiny applications from agencies and research institutes across the globe, from the UK Department for Transport to the California Department of Public Health.
These aren’t just technical exercises; they are tools that solve real problems, made by the smartest and most dedicated analysts I have ever met. Their tools demonstrate how agencies are improving all aspects of data science output, from simply reporting the data to demonstrating causal analysis and predictive modeling.
- Public Health: The FDA is using Shiny to visualize Norovirus data and track epitopes, while the Oregon Health Authority has built an Injury Prevention Dashboard that helps policymakers understand where and why accidents occur.
- Environmental Stewardship: NOAA Fisheries developed an Aquaculture Nutrient Removal Calculator to predict the environmental benefits of oyster farming, directly supporting sustainable agriculture.
- Public Safety: The UK Department for Transport created a Collision Analysis Tool that allows the public and urban planners to filter and download road casualty statistics, helping design safer streets.
- Civic Engagement: The City of Reykjavik even uses Shiny to monitor live visitor numbers at their famous pools, helping residents and tourists alike avoid the crowds.
Why Government Needs Open Source
During my time as a government analyst, I saw how expensive and rigid proprietary software could be. The apps in this gallery showcase why R and Shiny are such a natural fit for researchers and data scientists in the public sector:
- Cost-Effectiveness: By leveraging open-source languages, agencies can build enterprise-grade tools without the prohibitive licensing fees of legacy BI platforms.
- Transparency: Trust in government is built on transparency. Apps like the Jobs and Skills Australia NERO Dashboard allow citizens to explore employment data themselves, rather than just reading a summary.
- Agility: Governments must adapt quickly. Whether it’s tracking a new virus or monitoring climate change scenarios (like the app from the University of Maryland), code-first data science allows teams to pivot and deploy solutions in days, not months.
A Call to Public Servants
To my former colleagues and all researchers and data scientists currently serving in the public sector: this gallery is for you. We hope it provides inspiration for your next project and ammunition for your next proposal. If I can help in any way, reach out.
View the Public Sector Shiny Gallery Here
Want to chat with our public sector experts? Schedule a call with them here.
Do you have a public sector Shiny or Quarto app that you’d like to share? I’d love to see it and add it to our gallery. Ping me.
See our guides for more about Shiny for R and Shiny for Python. Quarto docs can even have Shiny runtimes! There is no better place to host these apps than Posit Connect.
