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Do you feel that finding reliable information in your organization on which to base decisions is becoming increasingly difficult in an ever-changing humanitarian context? Do you find it difficult to develop an information management strategy as it deals with so many different aspects of your teams’ work and so many different internal entities? And whilst information can be harvested from the web, are you unsure about how to make best use of this data and complement your own operational data? Do you find it difficult to explain what information management is and how it can be used?
Information management (IM) is one of the keys to identifying needs and assisting affected populations in a more efficient manner. It ensures that information gaps are identified, and that data from different sources is linked and analysed, and becomes actionable information within an organization and for its partners. An information management strategy allows you to define standard procedures that optimize workflow and ensure that the right information reaches the right people. Efficient information management is necessary for all sectors, be it WASH, education or CCCM, since you will conduct needs assessments, track distributions, carry out household surveys and generally monitor and evaluate your implementation for all programme activities. Information management involves collecting reliable and timely information, coordinating, planning and implementing assessments, analysing and storing information, as well as disseminating and presenting information in a format that is easy to understand and use, such as maps or graphs. Ultimately, these information products will inform planning and decision-making. CartONG assists humanitarian organizations in their IM work with any or all of these steps.
Learn more about how CartONG can help you with your Information Management projects below:
Information management is also strongly related to Mobile Data Collection, Geographical Information Systems and Capacity building so don't hesitate to visit those pages also.
Dans la cadre d’un projet de lutte contre la déforestation en Côte d’Ivoire, CartONG a été financé par l’AFD pour mettre en œuvre un outil de suivi des parcelles forestières et agricoles des bénéficiaires de NITIDÆ (ex-Rongead/EtcTerra) dans la région de la Mé. Ce projet a permis l’implémentation de la suite d’outils GeoPoppy, également pour la première fois, par CartONG à l’occasion d’une mission de deux semaines sur le terrain.
Au-delà de cette mise en pratique, CartONG a également été sollicité pour aider NITIDÆ à améliorer son système de Suivi-Evaluation en effectuant un diagnostic du système en place et en émettant des recommandations d’amélioration – à savoir, le cadre logique, les indicateurs utilisés, les outils de collecte de données primaires – ainsi que des procédures qui lui sont associées. A cet exercice s’est ajouté un travail plus général et assez complexe, de compilation de suggestions portant sur l’amélioration de l’accompagnement en Suivi-Evaluation que l’AFD offre à tous les partenaires qu’ils financent.
CartONG a présenté le projet et l'outil aux chefs de projet de l'AFD à Paris en janvier 2018.
CartONG a réalisé une étude sur les usages des NTIC dans le cadre de micro-projets de développement, comprenant un travail de recherche général sur l'utilisation des NTIC dans le domaine des micro-projets, et également une boite à outils composée de fiches Outils, Méthodes et retours d'expériences à destination des associations de solidarité internationale pour les aider à utiliser ces technologies de manière pertinente.
Accéder à l'étude et à la boite à outils ici.
CartONG supported the Cash Consortium Irak (CCI) in improving and streamlining its data collection, management and visualisation systems. CartONG evaluated each partner's needs, helped to choose the most relevant tool to be used by all partners and accompanied the consortium to adopt the tool (SurveyCTO was the chosen tool).
The CCI is composed of Mercy Corps, Danish Refugee Council, Norwegian Refugee Council and the International Rescue Committee. CCI partners have so far provided cash assistance to over 10,000 newly displaced households and conflict affected vulnerable households across nine governorates including Baghdad, Kerbala, Salahaddin, Kirkuk, Dohuk, Ninewa, Diyala, Erbil and Sulaymaniyeh.
CartONG was appointed by Terre des Hommes to carry out a study on Case Management tools used in the Protection field. CartONG therefore undertook the evaluation of needs (with interviews with Tdh staff and with other NGOs), before testing out a certain number of tools,and working with Tdh on the strategy for the future on these subjects.
Find out more about the project through this infography.
CartONG developed a large part of the mobile and analysis components of FACET, a facility monitoring tool for Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in schools (WINS) and in health facilities (WIH).
The tools are based on Kobo/ODK for mobile data collection and on a Power BI dashboard for online visualisation of indicators and an Excel offline dashboard for more advanced analysis.
The WASH in Health Facility Evaluation Tool (FACET), jointly developed by Terre des hommes, Eawag and CartONG with support from the UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP), is based on globally recognised indicators and is suitable across the continuum of humanitarian and development interventions.
In 2017, CartONG also designed an online dashboard with Power BI linked to the FACET WASH Health Facility (see an example with test data) and School evaluation mobile data collection tools (here).
In 2018, CartONG helped build the new version of the FACET mobile data collection and analysis tools, based on a review of the needs and also an update of the key JMP indicators on which the tools are based.
In 2015-6 we conducted two trainings for IPIS, one on Mobile Data Collection and geodatabase management (5 days) and one on ArcGIS server (5 days) for their HQ staff in Antwerp.
CartONG provided support for Rongead as part of a call for projects with the Fondation de France for the structuring of data linked to producers and to the promotion of the cashew nut in the Ivory Coast. The collaboration started with the creation of a web database of the producers and negotiators regrouping the cashew nut Ivory Coast transactions with the setting up an information system of the exchange rate of the cashew nut from producer to seller. Then a Google Earth file was created to raise awareness concerning an inclusive agriculture and the cashew nut exchanges.
CartONG supported Solidarités International with three missions in Mali and Central African Republic on data collection strategy and data management.
Read more »CartONG has been helping Tdh with compiling documentation on Mobile Data Collection and Information Management more generally to help field teams use it in the most effective manner. Since January 2018, the documentation has progressively been made public on the MDC Toolkit website to help other organizations that might find it useful. A special highlight is the Data Visualization Toolkit available on: https://www.mdc-toolkit.org/analyse-your-data/
Some CartONG volunteers have helped in the write-up of a few documents and in the translation of most of the documentation to French.
Following a full bidding process, CartONG was one of the organizations (including iMMAP and MapAction) to be retained by the UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office, setting the framework to be deployed in the WCARO region to support UNICEF country operations in Information Management and Mapping.
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