Introduction[: public affairs informatics research]

This paper presents various fields of study under the public affairs rubric and highlights the importance of cooperation among varying public service organisations if complex social and health problems are to be solved. Informatics research will provide armamentaria to practitioners and organisational leaders for collecting, mining and analysing data under guided theoretical frameworks to generate scientific information that can support evidence-based decision making. Such decisions ultimately increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of public goods.