Enhancing Strategic Information (ESI) project

The Enhancing Strategic Information (ESI) project is a multifaceted project that among other things seeks to effectively integrate data quality enhancement techniques with approaches to promote and ensure the occurrence of widespread data use. The project is funded by USAID and implemented by a consortium of South African based firms, two of them – John Snow International and Khulisa Management Services – are tasked with implementing these tasks through close collaboration with government.

Data Quality Sharing Platform

There are a lot of ideas out there on how best to collect, analyse, use and improve programmatic data. Most ideas are great but often they tend to say the same thing albeit in slightly different ways, for instance, a programme logical framework vs. a programme logic model.  The difference is, as they say, the same.  In recognition of the enormous amount of duplication that goes on and numerous attempts at reinventing the wheel, the ESI team has set up a portal where M&E practitioners can share ideas to improve data quality, tools manage data and innovating ways to engage and use the masses of data churned out by those delivering services.

The sharing portal launched at the ESI Data Quality Conference March 23-24, is for use by anyone interested in improving data quality and encouraging data use.  Browse the pages and links for useful information covered at the data quality conference: Standards and Measurement; Tools/Methodology; Data Use/Dissemination Practices; and Quality Improvement Initiatives .  Post your questions, comments, observations, intuitions (and those thoughts that you just have to share) on the platform to get the party started.

A good read

Some documents will be made available for direct download on the blog. These are documents put together by monitoring and evaluation professionals that aim to help those who would like to know more about data quality, on the four themes to be covered during the conference and further.

The Breakdown

Current challenges have brought many to re-examine the role that data quality and data use can play in the organizations and communities that we work and live in. In the face of these challenges, some are getting back to the basics, and others are looking to innovation and creativity to pave the way.

Today, more than ever, quality has a role to play. Whether traditional or new, conservative of inventive, quality is critical.

The conference will bring together some main players from the South African Government, NGO’s, consultancy firms and corporations; specialist who are able to transfer experiences and ideas into practice. Around 100 participants are expected to attend

The main aim of the conference is to develop a framework for a coherent data quality strategy for the Department of health in which data quality activities are based on relevant industry standards, and will serve as a platform to support the newly formed data quality auditing and training accreditation scheme under ISO 8000

Four practical workshops, focused on the integration and collaborative knowledge sharing, will run over the course of the two days. Participants are encouraged to bring any and all individual or organizational instruments/materials/training and or relevant information to actively share in each of the four technical workshops.