Transcript McAID - Food Security Network
McAID
an integrated information management system TOPS/FSN Network Food Security Conference
September 19-23, 2011 Maputo, Mozambique
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Content 1. About McAID 2. Current uses 3. Potential uses 4. Experiences 5. Challenges 6. Cost ($$$)
1. About McAID 1.1 Introduction
McAID is a software database system. The title is the short form of
M other
and
C hild Aid
. It is an electronic centralized tracking and reporting system that facilitates program management to monitor program achievements over the program LOA.
It is developed by the Management Information System (MIS) unit of the USAID funded Food Security program of Save the Children’s Bangladesh Country Office.
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1. About McAID 1.2. McAID Generations
1.2.1 McAID (2004-2010)
It was first developed during the
Jibon-O-Jibika
(DAP) program where it was primarily used for program beneficiary registration, MCHN service delivery, food distribution and warehouse inventory records throughout the program period.
1.2.2 New Generation McAID (2010+)
McAID system structure has been revised and introduced to operate for the newly awarded Food Security (MYAP) program called
Nobo Jibon
(2010-2015) considering the operational perspectives related to hardware availability, involvement of non-specialist staff at the community levels, and improved data communication protocols.
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2. CURRENT USES 2.1 Data Gathering
McAID system is currently in use for the following primary data gathering needs
Beneficiary Registration
Volunteer Registration
Service Records
Food Distribution
Commodity Accounting
Progress Monitoring
Monitoring Check List Laptops or desktop computers with GPRS modem are also used to collect primary records or reporting purposes.
Most of the primary records (like beneficiary registration, service, food) are gathered by front line program staff using Smartphones Slide 5
2. CURRENT USES 2.2 Data Sharing across Operations
2.2.1 Beneficiary Registration for Service Delivery
Program beneficiaries for all interventions under Nobo Jibon are registered by using Smartphones, and receive a unique ID for tracking them throughout the program period.
Volunteer (VHC) visits beneficiary HH and fills out selection format VHC handovers selection format to FF Field Facilitator (FF) visits HH based on information on the selection format Monthly Registration List MIS unit prints nutrition cards 16 digit Identification number produced by McAID database.
FF does registration at McAID using Mobile where network is available FF fills out registration format where network is not available FF filters appropriate selections Field Facilitator validates data provided by VHC through physical verification Slide 6 Service McAID output Next Level McAID Input I/O from Smartphone General I/O from Computer
2. CURRENT USES 2.2 Data Sharing across Operations
2.2.2 Service Delivery and Food Distribution
For all program beneficiaries receiving program support based on criteria set in the program proposal and/or operational guidelines. Primary inputs are recorded by field-based staff such as Field Facilitators. Eligible beneficiaries receiving food rations as a conditional transfer on a monthly basis. Primary inputs are recorded by the staff designated as Field Officer-Commodity or Food Distributors.
McAID output McAID Input Next Level I/O from Smartphone Slide 7 Registration Food Distribution General Operatio n I/O from Computer Previous Level Service sessions are conducted on a monthly basis at community level Service status reports are acknowledged by the I-P team leaders FF filters registered IDs on McAID using mobile who have attended service sessions.
McAID aggregates service status reports at the end of the month.
2. CURRENT USES 2.2 Data Sharing across Operations
2.2.3 Commodity Accounting
Commodity inventory status is tracked based on transactions made at warehouse level. Such tracking starts upon in country arrival of the commodities, documented in a Bill of Lading, through closing of the inventory ledger for the respective Bill of Lading.
Service Importation Inventory Transaction AER Waybill Muster List BL Survey Summary Reconstitution Stack Card Summary Plan DAM Waybill Summary Food Distribution Slide 8 McAID output Next Level McAID Input I/O from Smartphone Previous Level I/O from Computer
2. CURRENT USES 2.2 Data Sharing across Operations
2.2.4 Progress Monitoring
Progress for activities/outputs is tracked centrally based on inputs recorded by the implementing and technical partners against targets established annually or for the overall program.
Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) approves activity progress data online
M&E staff and I-P team leaders are given on-line authorization for data update at the relevant levels. Subsequent authorizations to the achievements are given by the higher level authorities. Results are aggregated by month, quarter, year, upazila, district, or implementing partner.
Technical Coordinators verifies activity progress data online I-P Team Leader reviews activity progress data online Technical Officer M&E collects activity progress data and inserts into McAID online Slide 9 McAID output McAID Input I/O from Computer McAID aggregates results by month, quarter, year, upazila, district, or implementing partner MIS unit inserts yearly targets for each I-R activities online
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2. CURRENT USES 2.3 Data validation at source
Source
Setting up
cut off
values, for data validation purpose, is flexible in McAID. It can be modified to fit operational contexts.
Process Decision Data Registration Date Date of Birth Age Validation Age between 181 to 630 days YES NO
McAID compares the inserted value with the cutoffs set for validation upon receiving records from user.
McAID accepts records that pass positively through decisions set against validation only
2. CURRENT USES 2.4 Beneficiary Tracking…..
2.4.1 Nobo Jibon program interventions Slide 11 SO1 Mother and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN)
Improved health and nutritional status children under five years and pregnant/lactating women.
Target Households: 186,930 SO2 Market-based Production and Income Generation (Livelihood)
Poor and extremely poor households have increased production and income.
Target Households: 80,000 SO3 Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
Households in targeted communities protect their lives and assets and quickly resume livelihood activities following natural disasters.
Target Households: 373,470
2. CURRENT USES 2.4 Beneficiary Tracking…..
2.4.2 Integration of Nobo Jibon strategies
A strategy is in place for the efficient integration of sectors to achieve greatest impact for poor households. For all program beneficiaries receiving program support based on criteria set in the program proposal and/or operational guidelines.
Beneficiary
SO1 186,930 SO2 80,000 SO3 373,470
Ante Natal care Growth Promotion Food Distribution Court Yard Session Slide 12
2. CURRENT USES 2.4 Beneficiary Tracking…..
2.4.3 Registration produces unique ID
In order to become a service recipient one needs to be registered under at one approved criteria as set by the proposal. Upon registration beneficiary receives a unique ID. ID refers to basic information of the beneficiary as well as used for tracking records for that beneficiary.
ID refers basic information 0102050200000087
Name, Address, HH, etc
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2. CURRENT USES 2.4 Beneficiary Tracking…..
2.4.4 Tracking of Service recipient
Unique ID also it refers to all instances, whenever recorded, as a recipient for associated program support. Summaries are used to reflect performance of the program over the period.
ID refers associated interventions ID 0102050200000087 0304150100000199 0206500100004657 SO1
a a
SO2
a a
SO3
a
IDs are summarized to show performance Month January-2011 February-2011 March-2011 SO1
a a x
SO2
a x a
SO3
a x x
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2. CURRENT USES 2.5 Data Communication
1 Central Office 3 District Offices 9 Upazilla/Hub Offices 8 Warehouse Offices Nearly 2,000 Service Sites Over 250 staffs Data Center Private Network Central Office District Office Warehouse Upazilla Office Service Distribution Registration Slide 15
2. CURRENT USES 2.6 Access to Data Center
Basically, a
Data Center
is a centralized repository, management, and dissemination of data and information. It is a restricted access area containing automated systems that constantly monitor server activity, Web traffic, and network performance.
Users Smart phone Devices Desktop Laptop IPNGO
Any internet-enabled computing devices including Smartphones can access McAID site through the URL
http://119.148.6.44
.
SC http:// Data Center
A valid user can access at least all reports. Only authorized users can perform input or modification of the records.
Guests Firewall Router Server HO/CMU Slide 16
3. POTENTIAL USES 3.1 Hosting Multiple Program MIS:
Data Center Sharing
McAID Data Center at SC HQ Firewall Router
McAID application and database can be used for hosting multiple program MIS within or across Save the Children. This will enable a client agency or program team to share efficient performance of a high profile Data Center and it’s relevant administrative support.
McAID offline and online modules can be contextually combined to deliver database management across agency.
Server //agencyA/ProgramA //agencyA/ProgramB //agencyB/ProgramA //agencyB/ProgramB Online hub office Smartphone with Online McAID Agency A: Communication Protocol http://119.148.6.44/agencyA/ProgramA http://119.148.6.44/agencyA/ProgramB HQ-MIS Agency A Online McAID HQ-MIS Agency B Offline hub office PDAs with Offline McAID Agency B: Communication Protocol http://119.148.6.44/agencyB/ProgramA http://119.148.6.44/agencyB/ProgramB Offline & Online McAID Slide 17
3. POTENTIAL USES 3.2 McAID Data Matrix
Data Matrix
module of McAID can be used for facilitating different program management to design their data requirements flexibly and startup data collection through PDAs or Smartphone instead of developing separate systems.
Data Matrix RnC Applied for Registration and Commodity accounting data gathering Data Matrix Applied for various program data gathering Step III Defining reports Step I Defining Program Basic
? Program ? Period (Year, Month, Quarter) ? Enumerators ? Response layers ? Enumerators vs Response layers ? Indexing
Step II Prepare Questionnaire
? Question to define a variable ? Answer options ? Response mode ? Data types ? Sequence ? Skip rules ? Derivatives (and scope)
McAID
? Name of the report ? Monthly, yearly, ad hoc ? Display fields ? Summary fields
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4. EXPERIENCES Experiences with GSM mobile based data management
Overall, a centralized system has accelerated efficiency to overall management of program data and in line operations.
Increased Decreased
Data accuracy, availability, security.
Access to information from different operation.
Utilization of micro level data.
Data validation at source. Total time required for preparing next level operation depending on primary level operation.
Reduced knowledge based staff dependencies at lower levels as opposed to maintain a distributed system (offline).
Data compilation time and efforts.
Paper trailed documentation.
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5. CHALLENGES Challenges & Action/Recommendations
Ongoing challenges
There are pockets where network is found often interrupted or become slower.
Power scarcity to charge mobile phones sufficiently.
Small font; faded screen during bright sunny day light.
Action/Recommendation
Communication with service provider to let them optimize & monitor network performance in those pockets.
Procurement of solar panels for cluster office operations from where staff can charge their mobile phones.
Searching for handsets within $150 to overcome this challenge.
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6. COST ($$$) Operation Cost (in USD) for McAID
Total operational cost for McAID Offline and Online modules are calculated considering 12 months operation where there are 9 Hub offices under 3 districts and 100 front line staffs .
Note that, in cases if system is shared via hosting services then online cost for some of the line items
(*) can be reduced fully/partially ( see slide 17 ).
Cost Factors Setup (Capital cost)
Windows PDA & battery accessories Smartphone & Internet SIM Laptop per Hub Office Modems per Hub Office District database server systems Central database server systems* Firewall, Antivirus*
Operation (Recurrent cost)
Monthly activation Charge Dedicated bandwidth
Total Units
1,200 12 100 100 1 1 9 9 3
Unit Costs Offline Online Total Cost Offline Online
555 1,000 7,000 7,000 7,000 148 70 20,000 7,000 350 55,500 9,000 21,000 7,000 7,000 5 350 4,200
103,700
14,800 630 20,000 7,000 6,000 4,200
52,430 Slide 21
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