Pact MERL webinar series Use of Mobenzi Researcher in the 2012 MERL Communities of Practice

1. Pact MERL webinar seriesUse of Mobenzi Researcher in the 2012 MERL Communities of Practice Lessons from Tanzania and Namibia Experiences September 19, 2012 Jacqueline Ndirangu – Pact Namibia Daisy Kisyombe – Pact Tanzania

2. What is Mobenzi Researcher? • A technology that allows you to collect data using a mobile phone. • Data is uploaded and transmitted to a central server using internet connection. • Data from the server can easily be exported to excel and SPSS for analysis

3. Process of setting up Mobenzi Researcher? • Procured handsets that are compatible with the Mobenzi Researcher technology and set them up with the Mobenzi Researcher software • Developed the questionnaire as usual (in MS Word) and emailed the same to Mobenzi support personnel to set up for use on the handsets • Surveys were set up online with technical support from the Mobenzi team • Mobenzi support team can help to register each of the mobile phones and issued log in and password information for individuals authorized to view/work with the data online. • In case you use local language; Mobenzi team sends English questionnaires in Excel for translation and then set up online

4. Survey tool design

5. Survey tool design….

6. Survey on the Phone

7. Data collection with Mobenzi Researcher • For optimum results; a central controller is needed with reliable internet access to monitor data entry and alert on issues emerging as data comes in • Once questionnaire is downloaded on the phone; data can be collected offline and stored on the phone till when phone is on network coverage area • Data stored on the phone automatically uploads into Mobenzi once network is recovered • Be sure to give each field worker a phone that is specifically assigned to him/her (no mixing up)

8. Mobenzi online dashboard: Analytical Overview

9. Mobenzi online : Grid view

10. Advantages and disadvantages of Mobenzi vs. paper based surveys

11. Data quality and security assurance • Built in quality checks ensuring no incomplete submissions • Data in server can only be viewed/edited by Pact authorized personnel • All edits are recorded including person who did the editand when. Original data submission is not lost in case you need to reverse the action • Data entered via phone once submitted cannot be viewed from the phone • Data in server is encrypted and password protected

12. What worked well? • Easy to set up the phones with the Mobenzi Researcher software • Assigning of phones and codes to each of the data collectors • Easy to update the survey when changes were made after the pilot test • Data collection was standardized and systematic for all data collectors • Data export from Mobenziserver in Excel to SPSS for analysis

13. What did not work so well? • Limited time available to train data collectors and allow time to familiarize with using the technology. • Handsets were not GPS enabled • Collection of the ‘Other’ data. Typing of text was time taking, hence resorted to recording and transcribing responses to ‘Other’ questions. • Battery life for some type of phone not able to sustain long hours of data entry

14. Tanzania results overview

15. Namibia results overview

16. Way Forward • Future evaluations e.g. upcoming Tanzania baseline in program expansion area/ mid term evaluation • Global indicators data entry • WORTH data collection

17. Thank you!