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IT For Outcomes: Selecting A Database For Monitoring (Meghani 2011)

Monitoring and evaluation involves gathering and assessing lots of information and data. Gathering, storing and manipulation of this data can be a challenge. This resource provides support in planning your database needs to meet your monitoring and evaluation requirements

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161 views9 pages

IT For Outcomes: Selecting A Database For Monitoring (Meghani 2011)

Monitoring and evaluation involves gathering and assessing lots of information and data. Gathering, storing and manipulation of this data can be a challenge. This resource provides support in planning your database needs to meet your monitoring and evaluation requirements

Uploaded by

NCVO
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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IT for Outcomes

Selecting a database for monitoring


By Shafiq Meghani
March 2011

Background to this guide


This guide was written by Shafiq Meghani for Charities Evaluation Services National
Performance Programme. It was based on a previous guide published by the
Performance Hub in 2008, Using ICT to Improve your Monitoring and Evaluation,
with new research of providers undertaken in 2010 by Dr Simon Davey, Diana
Parkinson and Avan Wadia.
The National Performance Programme is funded by Capacitybuilders National
Support Service programme and is led by Charities Evaluation Services (CES) in
partnership with ACEVO, the LGBT Consortium, nef (the new economics foundation),
New Philanthropy Capital and Voice4Change England.
CES is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales no.
2510318. Registered charity no. 803602. Registered charity in Scotland no.
SCO40937. Registered office address: 4 Coldbath Square, London, EC1R 5HL, UK.
Copyright
Unless otherwise indicated, no part of this publication may be stored in a retrievable
system or reproduced in any form without prior written permission from Charities
Evaluation Services (CES). CES will give sympathetic consideration to requests from
small organisations for permission to reproduce this publication in whole or in part but
terms upon which such reproduction may be permitted will remain at CES discretion.
Charities Evaluation Servcies, 2011
ISBN 978-0-9564349-6-8
Terms and acronyms used in this guide
Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) The process of collecting and recording
information in a routine and systematic way to check progress against plans and then
using that information to assess the performance of an organisation or project.
Outcomes The actual changes, benefits, learning or other effects that happen as a
result of services and activities provided by an organisation or project.
Information and communications technology (ICT) - Using computer hardware,
software and communications to manage and process information.
ICT infrastructure Everything that supports your computer system (in other words,
your computer equipment and how it connects up, as well as the programmes and
services it is based on).
Customisation Tailoring such as adding additional fields to capture the information
that you need or specific reports.

IT for Outcomes: Selecting a database for monitoring

Introduction
Monitoring and evaluation involves gathering and assessing a great deal of
information collation, storage and manipulation of data can be a challenge. ICT
can help, however it is vital that your organisation is able to select the right system to
meet your needs.
This guide is aimed at organisations that have already developed their monitoring
framework, assessed their needs and are considering purchasing an off-the-shelf
system. It contains an introduction to some of the things to consider as well as
information on systems used in the sector. This will give your organisation a headstart in identifying the most suitable system.
For more information please visit www.ces-vol.org.uk/mande

The benefits
ICT enables different people to access different information and use it in different
ways. It can enable you to cross-reference and link pieces of information which
makes it easier to understand patterns and trends and then produce reports.
ICT can be used to support the different processes involved in monitoring and
evaluation:

But understanding your organisational needs can be difficult. Knowing how to


convert those needs into a solution can be equally, if not more, demanding.

Charities Evaluation Services

IT for Outcomes: Selecting a database for monitoring

The Challenge
When developing an ICT solution for your organisation, aside from understanding the
resources required, there are a number of additional questions that need to be taken
into consideration:
How does this fit with the organisations vision and direction?
Strategy
What do you hope to achieve from this work?
What computer hardware do you need to run your system?
IT Infrastructure
What level of connectivity do you need?
What happens in your organisation when something goes wrong?
Support
Where can you go for independent advice?

Skills

Who will know how to manage the system within the


organisation?
Who will know how to input, secure and use the data?
Have you factored in planning and building time?

Time
What about operating, reporting and maintaining time?
Once youve established that your organisation is ready to move forward with
developing an ICT based solution, you need to think about what type of ICT will best
meet your needs.

The options
There are a number of potential ICT solutions to help your organisation support its
monitoring and evaluation. The following matrix, comparing 14 systems capable of
monitoring outcomes, provides a simple way to help shortlist the best solution for
your organisation.
The data has been compiled from individual interviews with each system provider,
together with a test of the system where available. In each case, a series of
questions were posed, looking at various aspects of each system. The data was
then collated and used to benchmark against other systems. The following
categories have been used in the system selector:

Charities Evaluation Services

IT for Outcomes: Selecting a database for monitoring

Category

Description

Typical Cost

Including customisation, data migration, licensing, software,


annual fees, set up, support, updates

Flexibility

Including customisation, user modification, user security levels,


user access, remote access, data input, data migration

Outcomes
management

Including recording qualitative and quantitative outcomes data,


scaled outcomes, outcomes over time, pre-defined outcome
menus, outcome analysis, standard and user defined reporting,
charts, individual outcomes management

Data security

Including data encryption, security levels, password protection,


data backup, access control

System support

Including third party access to data, method of support, type of


support, standard and bespoke training

Dont forget the four Cs


Clarity

Are you clear about the outcomes you want to monitor?

Culture

Is your organisation ready for change?

Capacity

Does your organisation have the time, skills and resources?

Commitment

Is there a real commitment to see this work through?

It was really difficult to commit time and


resources to make this happen. Something
always seems like a bigger priority (especially
client work!) but delays are counterproductive
in the long run. You need to make it happen
and accept that this sometimes involves
sacrifices in the short term.

Using the matrix


Once you have your list of priority considerations for your organisation, use the grid
below to help you to shortlist systems that might meet your needs and then click on
the name of the system to link to further information including contact details, system
description and a case study.

Charities Evaluation Services

IT for Outcomes: Selecting a database for monitoring

Outcomes
management

Data
security

System
support

Months

From
install to
basic
training
(days)

Reported
by system
provider at
time of
research

Customisation
and data
integration/
export

Data input,
analysis,
charting and
reporting

Data backup and


protection

Training
and
technical
support

System
Based on
10 users
for 1 year

AdvicePro

Medium

12

150

Low

Medium

High

Medium

Apricot

Medium

12

60-90

70

Medium

High

High

Medium

Caseworker
Connect

Charitylog

ContactLINK

High

60

28-110

35

Medium

High

High

High

General ease of use

Specific Use

Generic

Flexibility

Substance
misuse

No. of
users

Young people

Set up
time

Housing/
homelessness

Basic
contract
length

Advice

Typical
cost

Access, navigate, data entry & search


without training.
Useful features

Reasonably straightforward,
data entry not so intuitive.
Hover over field help
information useful

Intuitive, data entry simple


and generally user-friendly

User-friendly and simple.


Missing information prompts
and 'workboard' with
summary information useful

Medium

12

14-21

75

Medium

High

High

Medium

Clear menu, a little more


complex in options available.
Missing information prompt
useful

Low

12

1-14

30

Low

Medium

Low

Medium

User-friendly and simple to


use, limited features

Charities Evaluation Services

IT for Outcomes: Selecting a database for monitoring

Outcomes
management

Data
security

System
support

Months

From
install to
basic
training
(days)

Reported
by system
provider at
time of
research

Customisation
and data
integration/
export

Data input,
analysis,
charting and
reporting

Data backup and


protection

Training
and
technical
support

System
Based on
10 users
for 1 year

In-form

Lamplight

Online Data
Manager

High

Low

12

60-90

7-60

11

42

High

High

High

Medium

General ease of use

Specific Use

Generic

Flexibility

Substance
misuse

No. of
users

Young people

Set up
time

Housing/
homelessness

Basic
Contract
length

Advice

Typical
cost

Access, navigate, data entry &


search without training.
Useful features

Easy to use, a little more


complex in options available.
Missing information prompt
and 'dashboard' information
useful

Medium

High

High

High

Clean menu structure and


simple navigation.
Outstanding tasks and case
relationship features useful

High

Medium

System not tested

Medium Medium

Straightforward to use and


simple add projects function

Simple to follow with drop


down menus that can be
customised

12*
High

24

14-60

*multiple
agencies

Medium

High

Performance
Management Medium
System

12

51

Low

Medium

Social
Impact
Tracker

12

80

Medium

High

Low

Charities Evaluation Services

High

High

IT for Outcomes: Selecting a database for monitoring

Outcomes
management

Data
security

System
support

Months

From
install to
basic
training
(days)

Reported
by system
provider at
time of
research

Customisation
and data
integration/
export

Data input,
analysis,
charting and
reporting

Data backup and


protection

Training
and
technical
support

System
Based on
10 users
for 1 year

Spa

Star Online

High

High

High

Medium

12

0*
*recently

Low

Medium

High

Medium

Medium Medium

General ease of use

Specific Use

Generic

Flexibility

Substance
misuse

No. of
users

Young people

Set up
time

Housing/
homelessness

Basic
Contract
length

Advice

Typical
cost

Access, navigate, data entry & search


without training.
Useful features

Straightforward and detailed


information capture, a little
complex in data entry volume

Other

Easy to add and search data

launched

VC Connect

Medium

12

90

20

Medium

Low

High

High

Straightforward with
reasonable use of prompts.
Able to accommodate
support providers or
infrastructure organisations

Intuitive with good media


support and connectivity. A
little complex when adding
communication with a client

350*
Views

Medium

14

*Transferri
ng from
SPRS

High

High

For more information please visit www.ces-vol.org.uk/itforoutcomes

Charities Evaluation Services

High

Medium

Charities Evaluation Services


4 Coldbath Square
London EC1R 5HL
020 7713 5722
www.ces-vol.org.uk
[email protected]

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