From Data To Action: Enabling in-field decision makers with IATI data

From November 2017 to April 2018, HumTech Lab at TU Delft partnered with Cordaid to work on an applied research project and address data and analysis challenges in humanitarian resilience and response activities. Central to the project were the questions: what information challenges do humanitarian field workers face? How can communities be empowered through data and information? And how can novel data initiatives like IATI create direct practical value for communities and humanitarian field workers?

The project was started by HumTech Lab with a review of the state of research and practice around information needs in humanitarian contexts. A major source were the findings of the 2013 report on humanitarian decision makers information needs1. Existing data sets and software platforms, incl. those dealing with IATI, were examined with respect to their ability to address those information needs. The matching process between information needs and available data and tools uncovered gaps where data and tools do not meet information needs and formed the first set of requirements for a novel software prototype that would select and combine certain data for a more tailored information supply.