The Data that Drives Us...

2019 was a big year for data at Impact. Our reports and tools have become sleeker and far more purposeful.

Much of the current enthusiasm for data focuses on technologies that make it easier to present. Sure, you can pay a company a monthly fee for data visualization tools, but why do that when we can invest in the skills of our employees? Data visualization is one of the most useful professional skills to develop because it allows information to be leveraged. While technology and the data capture design are key factors, the people with the skill set (and the mind set!) to put them to good use are paramount. It is hugely beneficial to allow the freedom to experiment and explore possibilities and this has led to better reports and tools that have enhanced our monitoring capabilities.

Data visualization grabs your attention and keeps your eyes on the message. If you’ve ever stared at a massive spreadsheet of data and couldn’t see a trend, you know how much more effective a visualization can be. It’s storytelling with a purpose.

In order to tell a good story, we have to have quality data coming in. Our data is mainly collected by dedicated field officers who ride long distances on motorbikes on hilly, sandy roads and footpaths to reach our schools. The success of the all the reports done at Impact Network cannot come without the contribution and dedication of these of these members of staff in the field.

We collect data for staff and student attendance, school technology inspections, school maintenance needs, school supply deliveries, maintenance of our vehicles, lesson observations and coaching sessions, and more! This information then flows into both the front end reports and the back end monitoring tools.

We have continuously improved our field surveys by balancing what we need for our reports and tools with what makes the most sense for the field workers. We encourage the team to meet the targets for the number of reports as well as tell us how the mobile application report can work better for them.

I am proud to work with this team! Stay tuned, 2020 is sure to hold many more exciting things for our data – and we will have a report on our 2019 findings in the coming weeks!

-Samuel Shawa, Administration and Data Manager