Daniela Abella Afandor

Daniela Abella Afandor was a 2017 Professional Fellow from Latin America with ICFJ.

Country: Colombia

Organization and Position: I am an investigative journalist and editor of “Project Bureaucrats” at Xue Colombia. My job as an investigative journalist and editor consists in developing a research methodologies to capture information involving public money. As a researcher and journalist, together with my team our task is to find a way to track a government data and visualize it. In addition we are community managers, therefore we design the media plans for Twitter and generate content for social networks.

Favorite digital tool: In terms of data cleaning and visualization, my preferences are Excel and Tableu Public. I use Excel to track my changes, apply filters and make basic graphics and analysis. To make a highly informed decision about a dataset, Tableu Public is a great tool for exploring and visualization. It helps you improve the ability to find information hiding in data. I think this combined approach allows you to have a visual basic script of the data and look for a story.

Project Proposal: The purpose of ‘Project Bureaucrats’ is to establish an analysis of a budget cycle in which it is possible to trace the behavior of the execution of resources at national and territorial level in Colombia. We will do this through civic technology to pursue our aim of improving citizen participation in a democratic system. The tool we want to develop involves three steps, first a database with budget information; second, a research methodology, to capture, collect and systematize data; and third, create dynamic visualizations with the collected information so we can tell a great story.

Proudest Professional Accomplishment: I have several notable accomplishments in both my education and my work experience. Probably the most notable accomplishment was interviewing Natalia Ponce de León during my internship this past summer at Semana Magazine. Natalia is a Colombian acid attack victim who had her face burned off by an obsessive stalker. Thanks to her work and personal experience she managed to successfully fight for a law, targeting perpetrators of this kind of crime. The new law was named after her and resembles the power of resilience and the type of stories readers can relate and invest emotionally.
Full story here: http://www.semana.com/nacion/multimedia/vide-natalia-ponce-y-su-rostro-tatuado-en-la-piel-de-su-hermano/458274