Database Design, Knowledge Management

Approach

One of the major gaps identified by our teams in assessing aid & development programs is the lack of information sharing tools among stakeholders involved in the same sector or range of activities. Over the past six years, Altai Consulting has been mandated by several international organizations to collect information across donors and implementers and design program information databases, that can be accessed online, through search engine or wiki-like tools.

Format

Databases, online information hub, GIS mapping, information dissemination.

Examples

Review of alternative livelihoods programs in Afghanistan, for UNODC – 2005, 2007 & 2008

Given the rise in alternative livelihoods spending (much of which is spent bilaterally), President Karzai pushed for the design of a harmonized Alternative Livelihoods Implementation Plan. One key element to improve coordination involved assessing the existing situation by creating a database of alternative livelihoods projects. UNODC contracted Altai Consulting to create a database with information on both existing and planned alternative livelihoods projects at the provincial level. It covered geography, donors, implementing partners, project descriptions, budgets, and key areas of focus. Over a period of nine weeks, more than 80 people were interviewed from over 35 organizations, including donors, embassies, ministries, NGOs, and implementing partners. In total, the resulting database covers over 100 projects in all 34 provinces. Outputs consist of the database and a detailed report, including descriptions of key actors and their strategies with regard to alternative livelihoods, key figures at both the national and provincial level, and maps representing the budget breakdowns. Following this effort meetings were conducted at all levels to disseminate the information collected.

District-level socio-economic profiles in Northern Afghanistan, for GTZ – 2009

Although socio-economic data are available at the national and somehow at the provincial level, very limited district-level information is available on the 398 districts of the country and the information there is, is usually outdated. Programmatic needs require more accurate, precise and geographically targeted information. Therefore, GTZ asked Altai Consulting to conduct socio-economic profiles in Northern Afghanistan in 2009. These profiles include generic information gathered directly from the districts as well as from key informants at the province level and in Kabul. Information previously available was merged and in many cases updated and corrected. Information was also gathered on specific sectors of interest to GTZ. Detailed information sheets about SMEs present in the district, markets and development programs activities were produced. Finally, Altai Consulting provided a set of recommendations to GTZ regarding sectors or activities to promote in each of the visited districts.