MERL Tech DC 2018

This session will explore the tension between collecting everything possible versus the ability to develop and implement a viable and usable technology product. Too often, there is a desire amongst international development organizations to collect more and more MEAL data, especially given the increasing ease of data collection with technology like tablets and phones. This desire can sometimes be so strong that it comes at the expense of everything else. If this happens during a tech development, it can cause major issues, and add time and resources to the process.

Save the Children and Praekelt Foundation will lead a discussion on what happens when the desire for more and more data hampers the functionality of a final tech product, and ways to mitigate this. We will use the example of the Dooit Android application, which was developed jointly with Girl Effect Mobile, Praekelt, and Save the Children as a case study for the group to examine. Dooit was launched in Indonesia in 2017 that helps youth save money and reach savings and budget goals on their own. We will use examples of what went well and not so well during this process to frame the discussion, encouraging participants to share similar experiences related to MEAL and technology. Finally, the group will come up with a series of approaches that can be used for tech development that balance the need for data and design functionality.