This is a multi-part article on deigns of data collection system for M&E - Paper, Database, and software.
My work as M&E specialist has lead me to see some quite wonderful and terrible database design choices for M&E systems.
STOP! ReCall that M means the continuous activity of looking at the performance of your process/project and other such activities. ( So that speaks to a more short time and in some cases real time data feed)
ReCall the E is evaluative and this is mid to long term - more a stop and think - shake your head - and move on.
Why am I saying this? Well hopefully someone can gain value for this post. I have been reviewing a system - M&E - however there seem to have been more emphasis on the "E" and little on the "M". Which is quite puzzling at this point, because after 2 year of activities the M&E system looks as it the project is just about to begin ( from the data collected).
AD BY IMI CHITTERMAN - I collaborate with drop-box a cloud storage tool. Please try this out by click here
M&E systems are to be viewed as both real time transitional system, that feeds into "small" data sets for mid term review to accommodate the stop and think activities under the "E". However, budgets for developing software system are always constrained so what can we do.
1. Establish a proper M system - paper is great - but many persons are not training to think as database developer and shoot a paper based questionnaire as a standard market survey. They crunch the data in Excel and quickly realize that 60% of their analysis for Indicators cannot be realized for these mis- construed survey (paper forms).
Paper form can be great where technology cannot respond to collecting data - however, there are way to ask questions in a survey and THE RIGHT way to collect data in a survey.
Take the example shown:
Question : How many employees do you have in your organisation?
In a standard survey age ranges will be fine, because you are not monitoring anything. Just seeking to know someone's information.
However, if you ask for a specific number then you are doing something different, you are trying to measure - and to measure is to know.
Question: On average, how has your management staff been performing?
Such a question in M&E is a joke. M&E is about specifics and measurement. You have to use constructs and dig to the most affordable details.
A better phrase will be: How has your management staff in the production department been performing, _ a rating scale is needed.
This is affordable, but it is a bit more specific to a department, and we can drive deeper with better questions and even design layout of paper forms.
In part 2 - I will use a live paper collection tool and walk through paper redesign process for effective collection in the field.
My work as M&E specialist has lead me to see some quite wonderful and terrible database design choices for M&E systems.
STOP! ReCall that M means the continuous activity of looking at the performance of your process/project and other such activities. ( So that speaks to a more short time and in some cases real time data feed)
ReCall the E is evaluative and this is mid to long term - more a stop and think - shake your head - and move on.
Why am I saying this? Well hopefully someone can gain value for this post. I have been reviewing a system - M&E - however there seem to have been more emphasis on the "E" and little on the "M". Which is quite puzzling at this point, because after 2 year of activities the M&E system looks as it the project is just about to begin ( from the data collected).
AD BY IMI CHITTERMAN - I collaborate with drop-box a cloud storage tool. Please try this out by click here
M&E systems are to be viewed as both real time transitional system, that feeds into "small" data sets for mid term review to accommodate the stop and think activities under the "E". However, budgets for developing software system are always constrained so what can we do.
1. Establish a proper M system - paper is great - but many persons are not training to think as database developer and shoot a paper based questionnaire as a standard market survey. They crunch the data in Excel and quickly realize that 60% of their analysis for Indicators cannot be realized for these mis- construed survey (paper forms).
Paper form can be great where technology cannot respond to collecting data - however, there are way to ask questions in a survey and THE RIGHT way to collect data in a survey.
Take the example shown:
Question : How many employees do you have in your organisation?
In a standard survey age ranges will be fine, because you are not monitoring anything. Just seeking to know someone's information.
However, if you ask for a specific number then you are doing something different, you are trying to measure - and to measure is to know.
Question: On average, how has your management staff been performing?
Such a question in M&E is a joke. M&E is about specifics and measurement. You have to use constructs and dig to the most affordable details.
A better phrase will be: How has your management staff in the production department been performing, _ a rating scale is needed.
This is affordable, but it is a bit more specific to a department, and we can drive deeper with better questions and even design layout of paper forms.
In part 2 - I will use a live paper collection tool and walk through paper redesign process for effective collection in the field.
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