1. Social Networks for Data Use
How we can leverage
a world of connections to improve the
collection, quality, and use of data?
December 8, 2017
Michelle Li, MEASURE Evaluation
Daines Mgidange, PATH
Sarah Romorini, PSI

2. 1. Rationale and Objective
2. Methods
3. Case example: WhatsApp Groups in BID
Initiative Tanzania
4. Case example: DHIS 2 Dashboards and
Interpretation Feed in PSI’s Global Business
System
5. Lessons Learned
6. Q+A
Outline

3. Data use is the
‘analysis, synthesis,
interpretation, and
review of data as
part of decision-
making processes’
Data Use for Decision Making

4. Continuum of Data Use

5. Barriers to Data Use

6. • Electronic platform
allowing participants to
create personal profiles
and build connections
with other users
• Enables multidirectional
communication and
collaboration
Social Network Platforms
Source: freepik.com

7. • Can social network platforms be used to
improve the collection, quality, review,
and interpretation of data?
• How can social network platforms be
harnessed to facilitate data-informed
decision making?
Objectives

8. ▪ Online search
▪ Published and grey
literature
▪ Online survey
▪ Google survey
▪ Distributed through
listservs and contacts
▪ In-depth key informant
interviews
Methods

9. ▪ Cases
▪ Six cases of use of SNs in the public sector and by
implementing partners for project implementation
▪ SN platforms used
▪ WhatsApp
▪ DHIS 2 Data Interpretation Feed
▪ Objectives of social networks
▪ Sharing and standardizing communications
▪ Mobilizing resources
▪ Serving as an educational platform
▪ Sharing experiences, issues, and challenges faced
▪ Soliciting advice and peer support
Findings

10. ▪ Data reporting
▪ Reminders for report submissions
▪ Send screenshots of reports
▪ Discussions on how to fill out reporting tools
▪ Data quality
▪ Discuss and share best practices on data quality
▪ Making available a pool of people to troubleshoot DQ
issues
▪ Data review
▪ Disseminate data visualizations to discuss interpretations
and identify necessary follow-up actions
▪ Follow up on actions plans from data review meetings
Findings

11. Social Networking for Data Use
WhatsApp Group
Case Study: BID Initiative-Tanzania
Daines Mgidange

12. BID Initiative in Tanzania
▪ The Better Immunization Data (BID) Initiative, led by the
Tanzania Ministry of Health, Community Development,
Gender, Elderly and Children (MOHCDGEC) in partnership
with PATH and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation.
▪ BID Initiative aims to support Tanzania to enhance
immunization and overall service delivery through improved
data quality and use.
▪ BID Initiative is grounded in the belief that better data,
coupled with better decisions will lead to better health
outcomes

13. Objective of the BID Initiative
• Improve immunization data quality
and availability.
• Increase data use and decision skills
at all levels of health system.
• Build motivation to use data to
improve performance.
• Increase capacity to monitor
performance.

14. Tanzania Key Interventions
• Development of Electronic Immunization
Registry.
• Simplified data collection tools
• Support capacity building around data
management and use
• Peer support networks - WhatsApp groups
• On the job training
• Strengthening supportive supervision
• Promoting peer learning

15. During the BID testing phase of interventions, we
established a WhatsApp group as a
communication forum for healthcare workers.

16. SUCCESS STORIES

17. Use of WhatsApp groups to improve data quality
• Sharing status of facilities that have
been using system to capture data
and motivating those with
incomplete status to improve.
• Health workers questioning district
immunization officers about
sending stock information to the
system so they can be able to
visualize their data based on
number of children vaccinated
versus stock

18. Examples of screen shot from group members

19. Use of WhatsApp groups to improve data review and
interpretation
• Sharing high- and low-performing districts.
• Sharing graphs and inquiring members to interpret the
data.
• District Vaccine Officer sharing field visit route ( on-the-
job training) to support data capturing and review. This
has helped health workers to be able to reschedule their
routine activities to ensure their availability for data use
discussions.
• District mentors providing technical support to health
workers on how to use electronic registry by sharing
screen shot as user guide

20. 12/12/2017 20
Screen for data review

21. Support Data Use and Decisions Skills Awareness
• Emphasizing on the importance of data use by posting
data use advocacy messages (“Better data + Better
Decisions = Better health Outcomes”)
• Sharing data use guides to see indicators and possible
decisions
• Posting best practices from facilities and letting others
learn
• Sending directives from DIVOs to ensure immunization
performance are improved
• Sharing reports, graphs, charts and inquiring members to
mention decisions that can be made

22. 12/12/2017 22
Screen Shot for Data Use

23. Challenges
• Not all health workers have smart phones
• Missing internet bundles to some days
• Poor internet in some areas
• Lack of power that limits members to use internet.
• Difficulties on monitoring the practices/ output of
what is learned from SN
• Delays on responses / inactive groups
• Interruption of conversation - any member can
post new agenda before closing the previous one.

24. • It has been easy to share data use messages to more
audiences through WhatsApp group compared to
posters that were printed and distributed to facilities.
• The engagement of senior leadership was an
important factor in the success of SNs for data use. If
leaders are involved and participate actively in the
review of data in a transparent manner, then SN
members are more likely to respond to issues raised
by them and participate in data review processes.
• Sharing data trend, performance and rate of system
use to WhatsApp group has helped some of the
health workers from underperforming facilities to
improve.
Lesson Learned
12/12/2017 24

25. • Identifying more data use gaps and encourage health
workers to discuss and share experiences from different
facilities
• Installing WhatsApp group to health facility tablet so it can
be easily accessed at facility level.
Next Step
12/12/2017 25

26. Additional Resources
• Fact sheets & Video
• BID Initiative Annual Report
• BID Initiative Blog
• Demo Country Map
• Sign up for the BID Newsletter
12 December 2017 26

27. Thank you.
27

28. Sarah Romorini
Senior Program Manager, Global Business Systems
sromorini@psi.org
Bringing data-driven conversations to life
with DHIS2

30. PSI at a glance
We make it easier for people in the developing world
to lead healthier lives and plan families they desire
Child health
Contraception
HIV/STIs
Malaria
Maternal health
NCDs
Water, hygiene
& sanitation

31. DHIS2: it’s not business as usual
How often are we using it?
Data in DHIS2
Data use
Better health
outcomes
↓
↓
What are we doing with all that data?

32. DHIS2 and Data Use at PSI:
a tale of two challenges...
1. DHIS2 Dashboard-mania
2. Data use measured by anecdotes

33. 1. DHIS2 Dashboard-mania
2. Data use measured by anecdotes
A tale of two challenges:

35. Dashboards guided by Data to Action Frameworks

36. 1. DHIS2 Dashboard-mania
2. Data use measured by anecdotes
A tale of two challenges:

37. Documented data analysis & engagement
How often are we using it?
What are we doing with all that data?
Engaging with data = Basis for
performance management

38. Data interpretations  better insights
Country
name
Country
name
‘90–90–90 - An ambitious treatment target to help end the AIDS epidemic’
First 90 – By 2020, 90% of people living with HIV know their status (HIV testing/case finding)

39. PSI’s key takeaways (so far)
Leaders
needed
Lead by
example
It´s a behavior
change
process
Recognition
works!

40. Next steps
- Continue enhancing
interpretations features in
DHIS2
• Make it easier to join the
conversation
• Avoid data monologues
- Continue institutionalizing the
process and building culture of
data use

41. Let’s tell a better story
of how we’re using our data!

42. Lessons Learned
• Use of known and/or intuitive software
• Strong moderator
• Institutionalize SNs in routine work
processes
• Recognize high performers and
provide incentives for participation
• Promote SNs and data use as a key
responsibility for all staff

43. For more information
www.measureevaluation.org/
our-work/data-demand-and-use
• Full report available at:
www.measureevaluation.org
/resources/publications/tr-
17-217
• Data demand and use
resources
• Guidance documents
• Training resources
• Tools