2017 ICT4D Conference

This presentation will demonstrate that systematic, intentional, and creative uses of project data improves enumerator efficiency, informs project decision making, and provides useful insights for team management. This is based on CRS’ experience with the first and second phase of The Learning and Engaging All in Primary School (LEAPS I/II), a USDA-funded project as part of the McGovern-Dole (MGD) International Food for Education (FFE) and Child Nutrition Program.

During the first phase of LEAPS, the project suffered from a glut of data and a dearth of information. With 440 data points being collected across 17 different data collection tools from over 300 locations every month, the project had more than enough data yet lacked the systems and tools to extract meaningful information from the data. Consequently, the project underwent an overhaul of its M&E system in order to establish a clearer distinction between ‘nice-to-know’ and ‘need-to-know’ data. This reduced enumerator workload; improved the timeliness of data; and established processes for easily extracting meaningful information for donor reporting.

The project has since combined project data with GIS data. This permits the project to view of data on commodity levels, sanitation infrastructure, project risk factors, and other key pieces of information across the entire project area at a glance, thereby informing management decisions. For example, visualizing school meal consumption patterns enables the project to more efficiently deploy follow up visits to the schools which are struggling.

LEAPS II aims to go beyond these steps to leverage ICT4D. Soon enumerators will have access to personalized reports on their tablets that allow them to view the performance of their schools, allowing them to identify patterns in school needs. Simultaneously, enumerator managers will be able to view reports on the amount of time enumerators take to collect data, as well as where and how often schools are visited. This is expected to have enormous benefits from both a managerial as well as quality assurance standpoint.