Speed, timeliness, quality: How do we make M&E data more accessible?

The movement toward mobile data collection has certainly made an impact on speed and timeliness, but also on quality of information collected. Now, if someone records an age that isn’t within an acceptable range, for example, a system can now prompt that data collector of the mistake. The current question is how to make data accessible in electronic formats, according to Amanda Makulec, program manager and monitoring and evaluation associate for John Snow Inc. Tools like customizable electronic dashboards are becoming the new norm, but its important to ensure that data remains accessible for community level health workers, too, Makulec said. Multiple streams of in-depth data collection also means the reporting burden increases for often overworked health facility workers, for example. “Think about how that’s creating a tradeoff … it’s a balance, every time you create a new data collection form, you’re adding something to someone’s job,” Makulec said. Check out more career advice stories online, and subscribe to Doing Good to receive top international development career and recruitment news.