This powerpoint focuses on the current reality of being data driven in the international development sector, the blockers organizations face in effectively being data driven and the quick wins (and slow ones) on how to more effectively learn and take action from data!

1. Being Data Driven:
Current reality, Blockers
& Quick wins
May, 2018
Ottawa, Ontario
Paula Richardson

2. Questions:
In your organization/project …
 What % of data you collect is analyzed
(crunching data/what happened)?
 What % of data you collect is
interpreted (sense-making/why it
happened)?
 What % of data you collet is used to
inform decision-making?
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4. No amount of
data will lead
to accelerated
impact if it is
not used to
inform decision
making
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5. What does it mean to be Data Driven?
When an initiative is
data driven, quality
information is
available to the
right people when
they need it, and
they are using those
data to take action
Principles for Digital Development
https://digitalprinciples.org/principles/
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6. Question:
How many days out of the year do you
spend on learning from the data you
collect?
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7. The Dismal state of Learning from our
Data
 The learning component of MEL is left behind and
given least attention and time
 80+% of data collected is never analyzed or shared
 Most data collection goes towards creating one report
which is read by only 1-2 people. Value for money?
 Often data collection is an extractive exercise; those
that provide information rarely see the use or
learning from it
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8. Why are we so bad at learning from
our own data?
6 Blockers to Being Data-Driven
1. My Management/Leaders don’t buy-in or have interest
2. There aren’t incentives in my organization to learn or
authorization for me to make changes
3. I can’t find the data (it’s not accessible or easy to understand)
4. I can’t trust the data (poor quality)
5. I can’t use the data (it’s not relevant, useful, timely)
6. There are no processes or tools in place for learning from data
7. I have no time
Revised from principles for Digital Development https://digitalprinciples.org/principle/be-
data-driven/
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9. Exercise
1. Use an X to showcase which issue is most pressing
for you
2. Issues with most Xs are selected for small group
discussions
3. Navigate to topic that is most pressing/interesting
to you
4. 10 minutes to discuss in small group format
 How dose this issue play out in your organization?
 What are the key issues/blockers for you and your
organization in being data-driven?
 Take some notes
5. Debrief
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10. Quick-wins (and some
slow ones) for being
Data-Driven

11. How to Address Blocker 1: My
Management/Leaders don’t buy-in or
have interest
 Ask to present to the board on why learning matters
 Create feedback loop from data every 6 months to
board/senior management
 Integrate concept and practices of being data-driven into
organizations’ strategic plan
 Create feedback loop to fundraising team/business
development (show the value)
 Create short policy brief from data to share with local
government/networks
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12. How to Address Blocker 2: There aren’t
incentives in my organization to learn or
authorization for me to make changes
 Change your job description; add learning and data sharing
component
 Get budget for learning/sharing
 Revise performance assessment process so it includes
questions on learning/sharing data
 Build into TOR for travel and trip reports
 Update performance objectives/workplan to include level of
effort for learning
 Include opportunities for staff to present and share learnings at
conferences, etc.
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13. How to Address Blocker 5: I can’t use the
data (it’s not relevant, useful, timely)
 Identify gaps in data production and use (MEL assessment)
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Measure Evaluation Tool, “Tools for Data Demand and Use in the Health Sector” –
https://www.measureevaluation.org/resources/publications/ms-11-46

14. How to Address Blocker 5: I can’t use the data
(it’s not relevant, useful, timely)
 Find out who the data Users are/should be and address barriers
Adapted by Amanda Makulec in her presentation, “Simpsons, Design and Data Use.” Originally shared by Stanford d. School from “Applying User-centered
Design to Data Use Challenges: What we learned”
https://www.slideshare.net/AmandaMakulec/the-simpsons-design-and-data-use
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15. How to Address Blocker 5: I can’t use the data (it’s not
relevant, useful, timely)
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Create by Amanda Makulec in her presentation, “Simpsons, Design and Data Use.” https://www.slideshare.net/AmandaMakulec/the-simpsons-design-and-data-use

16. How to Address Blocker 6: There are no
processes or tools in place for learning from
data Revise PMF to include added columns for responsibility for
analyzing/interpreting and learning from data/how data will be used
 Hold data interpretation workshops in field after data collection
 Hold quarterly review of results with Senior management
 Monthly reports from partners/volunteers on learning
 Create regular process for post-report;
 Hold staff meeting and share top results from report
 Translate exec summary and share back with field offices and partners
 Require senior management team to hold dedicated meeting on lessons
learned from report
 Create framework for linking learning with action 16

17. Framework for linking Learning with Action
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Report Name:
Program:
Time Period:
Key Challenge
or Success
Highlighted in
the report
Lesson
Learned
Recommendation
for Programming
Next steps Responsibility/s Timeline
for
completi
on
Completion
Status
(completed,
in process,
not started)

18. How to Address Blocker 7: I have no
time
 Stop collecting so much data
 Integrate learning into your
workplan/performance objectives for the year
 Think about other options for learning:
 Can students be brought on to take up
learning/documentation role?
 NPSIA Internship?
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19. Exercise
1. In small groups, discuss one
action you can take in the
next three months to improve
learning from data within
your organization
2. Write it down
3. Debrief
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20. Resources for being data-driven:
 Measure Evalaution
https://www.measureevaluation.org/resources/training
/capacity-building-resources/data-demand-use-
concepts-tools/data-demand-and-use-3-day-training-
materials.html
 Principles for Digital Development:
https://digitalprinciples.org/principle/be-data-driven/
 MERL TECH
http://merltech.org/category/news/
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21. Questions & Discussion
Final Questions &
Discussion
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