Whether climate adaptation, species extinction or supply chain fairness, the challenges are enormous, the problems complex, and action is needed. In order to develop appropriate solutions, heterogeneous data must often be processed and modelled. And those who want to present convincing arguments are well advised to base them on hard facts and figures ,which can also be presented and understood. Data science methods enable both.
Data provide good arguments, at least when the research design is coherent and comprehensible, and the results are presented in an understandable way.
This is useful in inter- and transdisciplinary R&D work, for example, for project teams that want to convince future users, political decision-makers, or funding bodies.