A guide to information management systems for development projects

In this article, we discuss the difference between data and information, and how data is transformed into information that can support decision making. We also discuss the role of the information management system in this process and the main components to keep in mind in relation to people, processes and tools. Then, we look at the usual users of information systems in development projects and key ways to make an information management system as effective as possible.

You can also watch the recording of the webinar “Introduction to Information Management Systems for development projects” for more information.

What is the difference between data and information?

Data and information are two words that are closely related and are sometimes used interchangeably. However, they are not the same thing. Data is raw and unstructured whereas information has context, is processed and helps us draw conclusions and communicate about what is happening. Information should serve a higher purpose as input to decision making and learning.

Data points give us the events that happen and information helps us tell the story based on these events. For example:

Data point: 10% of children under 5 are stunted
Information: 10% of children under 5 are stunted at midline compared to 20% at baseline; the end of project target is 0%

Take a look at the following table for some examples of data versus information and decision making based on a development assistance project. To answer the decision making questions of the table, we need to combine the data points with their targets. This can then help us set a course of action.

How is data transformed into information?

For data to become information, it needs to go through some processes:

• Contextualize: provide the background, the context that will help us make sense of the data
• Organize: helps us connect related data, uncover relationships and piece everything together.
• Analyze: helps us interpret and draw conclusion out of the data and center our focus on what exactly we need to know

What is an information management system?

An information management system can help transform the data into information making it available to all those who need to act based on this information. It is not simply a spreadsheet or a database but an integrated group of people, processes and tools that encompass all activities needed to generate information.

The components of an information management system are:

• Data collection
• Data processing
• Data organization
• Data utilization
• Governance, performance, and maintenance

An information management system helps ensure we have timely access to information about our projects. With that we can optimize project implementation, allocate resources more efficiently, communicate to relevant stakeholders (such as donors and partners), and inform the project’s evaluation. It also helps us uncover whether the project was overall successful as well as lessons that can be applied to future projects or the whole program.

Ultimately, having access to this kind of information and acting promptly on it can lead to better project outcomes.

Components of an information management system in detail

1. Data collection: Bringing data into the system

• People: Enumerators, field staff
• Processes: Data collection, imports, integrations
• Tools: Data collection tools, APIs

Here we should consider data entry efficiency and aim for high quality for the collected data. Also, we should ensure that the system is aligned with other systems that are in place, and that data is structured in a way that is compatible between these systems.

2. Data processing: Make the data useful

• People: Information management officers, M&E officers, data engineers, or other similar roles
• Processes: Validation, cleaning, deduplication, anonymization
• Tools: Data cleaning tools, scripts

Here we should apply rules consistently; all datasets should be processed in the same way. Some processes might need to become automated; whenever we can invest in automation we should try to make the system work more optimally.

3. Data organization: Arrange the data for use

• People: Database administrators or similar roles working on data modeling or database design
• Processes: Data modelling, database design, database administration, data management
• Tools: Relational database

A note on tools: Even though spreadsheets can serve as registries and data repositories, not using a relational database in the core of the system makes us miss the advantage of its nature which is to help us establish or uncover the relationships between the datasets.

Here we should consider data integrity, to ensure that data is complete to answer our questions and minimize redundancy which can slow down the system and create confusion as to which parts of the data are giving the complete and true picture of what is happening.

4. Data utilization: Transform the data into actionable information

• People: Information management officers, M&E officers, data analysts and similar roles
• Processes: Data transformation, reporting
• Tools: Business Intelligence tools, dashboards, APIs

Here we should ensure that the system is designed in a way that optimizes workflows for the end users. It should match the day to day work and processes of these people. Also, it should be aligned with other systems.

5. Governance, performance, and maintenance: Ensure the system is compliant and performant over time

• People: Data stewards, IT staff, database administrators
• Processes: Data governance procedures and policies, data security and retention, role-based access control, performance monitoring
• Tools: Dashboards, APIs

Here, it is important to understand the regulatory landscape (e.g. GDPR, etc., or internal policies) and apply the principle of least privilege to give the minimum possible level of access to users.

Who are the users of information management systems in development assistance projects?

When starting the design of an information management system, we need to consider the needs and requirements of the internal and external stakeholders so that it can support these. Think of the following groups of internal and external stakeholders and their needs:

Internal stakeholders:

• Project staff: working with the data related to the implementation of the project
• M&E staff: collecting the M&E data needed to assess whether the project is meeting its targets
• IM staff: responsible for building the systems
• Leadership: needs higher level insights and information that gives them a sense of how the project is performing

External stakeholders:

• Partners: if you are implementing a project in collaboration with external partners or a consortium
• Donors: they need information to understand how well their funds are used
• Community: to help them understand whether the project is helping their community

What makes an effective information management system?

There are certain aspects we need to consider to ensure that our IMS is designed to be as effective as possible:

Compliance: The usage of the system must be aligned with relevant policies. Establish and enforce data governance policies and assign clear roles and responsibilities among the users of the system.
Reliability: The system must be designed in such a way that it can be trusted to generate complete and credible information over time. Ensure that data quality measures are enforced during data collection, that users have sufficient capacity and that there is a sound data model in place and a defined, repeatable process. The system should also be flexible enough to accommodate evolving information requirements and changing contexts.
Actionability: The system should enable users to take action in a timely manner. The information generated should be relevant to the stakeholders’ requirements. The data model plays a role here as it must ensure that information is easily accessible, and all relevant systems are embedded into the user workflows.

What can our organization do to make the information management system as effective as possible?

While keeping all the above points in mind in regards to the design of the information management system, there are more actions that can help the organization be successful in the implementation of an IMS:

Understand the information you need: Speak with all the involved stakeholders and gather their requirements.
Designate a champion: Find the person who will support putting all this together and push for an integrated system across the project.
Build capacity: Make sure that you build capacity across the different groups of stakeholders who are involved.
Leverage technology: Use tools such as ActivityInfo that can help you work optimally, save time and effort, while allowing you to scale your efforts.

Are you considering implementing an information management system in your organization? You can always contact us to discuss how ActivityInfo can support your work.