Information & Data Management
MIND’s learning programmes in information and data management are tailor-made to the needs of the organisations/ people we train. Depending on our participant’s demands a learning trajectory may include:
- Research techniques: from research design (questions, informants, methodologies, indicators, etc.) to implementation (community entry, planning, communication & documentation techniques, etc.);
- Information/ data analysis: from participatory techniques for grouping & categorizing information to using digital data processing techniques;
- Monitoring & evaluation: from designing m&e systems (including outputs/ outcomes, indicators & means of verification) to implementing m&e tools/techniques and analyzing m&e findings.
In our learning trajectories we aim to break the widespread image of research, data analysis and m&e as complex matters that are to be the domain of experts. MIND promotes grassroot-driven research and m&e techniques in which direct stakeholders have a core say. We strongly believe that such methods – if designed and applied with care– are more powerful in promoting a culture of learning and reflection than complex methods operated by a handful of experts.
Besides analytical tools & techniques, participants are equipped with communication skills which may help building trust and readiness to speak out amongst informants. MIND’s learning trajectories do not stop at designing a research/ m&E framework. We also guide participants in the successive steps of analyzing information and feeding the results back into successive planning.
Methods for gender mainstreaming are systematically built into our research and m&e trajectories. Participants also may be introduced to participatory media that can help extending the scope and impact of research and m&e.