Focus on the data and make sure they are as accurate as possible.
That underpins what we do at AMF as it gives us the best chance of understanding well what is needed (e.g. how many nets are needed and where) and reaching our objective as best we can (i.e. all sleeping spaces covered). An example would be structuring our work to: a) maximise the proportion of households that are visited during the registration phase of a distribution during which we establish how many nets are needed by each household (we aim for 100%); and b) ensure the data are accurate. We seek to maximise accuracy via two techniques. First, we carry out ‘105% registration’ which involves visiting a random selection of 5% of the households with the 5% data collectors having no knowledge of the data previously collected for the households and, most importantly, by making sure the 100% data collectors know in advance of doing their work that their work will be checked in this way and the 5% overlap compared.
Keep things simple and design things out.
I think that has helped us at AMF. An example of keeping things simple is to focus just on nets. An example of designing things out is taking our annual accounts preparation and reporting process, that used to require three people working for four weeks, to requiring essentially no one, We did this by building a system that allows us to track all relevant financial numbers on a daily basis (including, last year, more than 112,000 donations in a myriad of currencies) with all reporting material and documents either automatically generated at the end of the financial year or able to be generated within minutes. As a result, we are able to produce all our annual accounts’ materials across 12 countries, including material for three separate audits, within nine hours of the end of our financial year.
How did you achieve this kind of automation? is there a specific concept you follow or software? I am applying for the CE Incubator Program this year and would like to fully understand the approach.
Our technology (databases etc) are bespoke – all built in-house. We follow a simple process: we decide what functionality we need, and we build it. A key element is thinking through what we need and how that needs to be structured (content, layout, user interface, analysis functionality etc) so there are two stages – establishing clearly what we need; building it.
Focus on the data and make sure they are as accurate as possible.
That underpins what we do at AMF as it gives us the best chance of understanding well what is needed (e.g. how many nets are needed and where) and reaching our objective as best we can (i.e. all sleeping spaces covered). An example would be structuring our work to: a) maximise the proportion of households that are visited during the registration phase of a distribution during which we establish how many nets are needed by each household (we aim for 100%); and b) ensure the data are accurate. We seek to maximise accuracy via two techniques. First, we carry out ‘105% registration’ which involves visiting a random selection of 5% of the households with the 5% data collectors having no knowledge of the data previously collected for the households and, most importantly, by making sure the 100% data collectors know in advance of doing their work that their work will be checked in this way and the 5% overlap compared.
Keep things simple and design things out.
I think that has helped us at AMF. An example of keeping things simple is to focus just on nets. An example of designing things out is taking our annual accounts preparation and reporting process, that used to require three people working for four weeks, to requiring essentially no one, We did this by building a system that allows us to track all relevant financial numbers on a daily basis (including, last year, more than 112,000 donations in a myriad of currencies) with all reporting material and documents either automatically generated at the end of the financial year or able to be generated within minutes. As a result, we are able to produce all our annual accounts’ materials across 12 countries, including material for three separate audits, within nine hours of the end of our financial year.
How did you achieve this kind of automation? is there a specific concept you follow or software? I am applying for the CE Incubator Program this year and would like to fully understand the approach.
Our technology (databases etc) are bespoke – all built in-house. We follow a simple process: we decide what functionality we need, and we build it. A key element is thinking through what we need and how that needs to be structured (content, layout, user interface, analysis functionality etc) so there are two stages – establishing clearly what we need; building it.