THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JUNE 2024 33 increases the accuracy of identifying existing and emerging problematic language. In addition, data helps us be more persuasive. Sharing dashboards demonstrating trends over time or identifying patterns enables us to get complex points across quickly with partners. Citing statistics in speeches garners trust from listeners. Refuting objective data is challenging, and the development and use of data and AI-enabled tools is a powerful communications instrument for any organization. Incorporating data into the talking points and public messaging of our U.N. representatives not only strengthens our arguments but also positions us as a credible and authoritative voice. Future State of Diplomacy 3: Making more tactical decisions. To be clear, data tools are not here to replace information the State Department gets from our counterparts in the field, subject matter experts, or advisers. Instead, such tools work in concert with all these resources as they provide enhanced visibility into complex data sets and allow for improved analysis to be effectively combined with information from experts in the field. Data on how a particular country voted on U.S.-sponsored U.N. resolutions over time may help inform our decision to support a future resolution sponsored by that country. Data on which international organizations a particular government funds indicates their strategic interests and helps inform how we should prioritize engagement with that government. Similarly, IO is expanding its investment in more tactical and strategic decision-making regarding démarches—formal diplomatic requests to persuade or inform host-nation governments on a given subject. In collaboration with State’s Center for Analytics, IO engaged in the first analysis of State’s largest corpus of internal data—cables. A study on recent démarches indicated that the quality of the outcome information received from post in “démarche delivered” cables was too poor to enable measurement of statistically significant results. IO is currently working on ways to improve démarche response data quality to improve future U.N. vote tracking. Challenges Fully and effectively incorporating data tools into the State Department’s diplomatic efforts will require hard work. First, we need more internal data expertise dedicated to the development of AI-enabled data tools. Data science is a very specialized skill set, and experienced practitioners are in constant demand and command high salaries. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for an entry-level data scientist in 2023 was $113,894 per year, which is above a Washington, D.C., localized GS-13 pay rate. In late 2021, the Center for Analytics brought the Office of Personnel Management’s data scientist occupational series to State, making it easier to hire for this specialized job. The following year, the center partnered with the Bureau of Global Talent Management to create chief data officer positions in the various bureaus at State, with the first cohort onboarded in 2023. These personnel have technical data backgrounds and serve as in-house experts who oversee data-based projects and drive innovation in concert with wider department data-focused initiatives. As one of the pilot bureaus for this program, IO has made the intentional decision to dedicate a GS-15 and a GS-14 Civil Service position for a chief data officer and deputy. In addition to these Civil Service positions, IO relies on a contract team of data scientists to build its data program, from the foundational data infrastructure, management, and governance to its advanced analytics and AI tools. Contract staff enable IO to add and remove different data skill sets quickly, but direct-hire employees are critical for institutional knowledge, are more costeffective, and provide long-term commitment. The State Department also needs robust data infrastructure, including cutting-edge software and servers, to give data scientists the computing power necessary to extract valuable insights. Unfortunately, approving needed software within the department can be a long process because of security concerns and other bureaucratic issues. This bottleneck greatly constrains the effectiveness of all data work currently underway at State. The number-one complaint I have received from my data scientists, both at the Center for Analytics and IO, is how long it takes to get software approved and what a big impediment this is to doing their jobs. Not having access to the correct tools is akin to asking a chef to cook a gourmet meal without kitchen appliances. Of course, security is a top priority for the department, but there Leveraging data is particularly important to IO because the U.N. is the public messaging forum for global strategic competition in diplomatic matters.
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