Abstract Information: This demonstration will explore the advantages of using secondary source data in digital tools to complement primary data as a means of visual storytelling. In this demonstration, we will detail the mechanism of connecting secondary source data to a dashboard within Power BI using the Tamkeen Mauritania civil society and peacebuilding project example. While primary data collected by the project is critical for illustrating its participants’ experiences, the integration of secondary data allows for the contextualization of these stories. We will discuss the process of finding, connecting, and using secondary data to bolster our primary data done within our project.
Relevance Statement: Using the USAID-funded Mauritania Tamkeen project as a case study, the demonstration will focus on the value of creating visualizations of context monitoring data within Power BI dashboards. Tamkeen encourages social and civic change by placing young Mauritanians at the forefront of promoting prosocial alternatives to violent extremism (VE) by developing regional networks of community organizations, creating a learning-focused platform to serve as a meeting place for young people on soft skills, leadership and facilitation training, and reducing the vulnerability of young people and women. Complexity -aware monitoring is an approach that encompasses uncertain or evolving environmental dynamics and is a critical component of Tamkeen’s MEL strategy. Tracking contextual developments including sudden stresses and shocks is paramount to understanding the experiences of the activity’s most vulnerable participants. Aspects of the current Mauritanian context that expose the local populations not only to extreme poverty but also to vulnerability include climate change, migration and the flow of refugees, socio-economic exclusion, security risks and political violence, and public health crises. These key contextual dynamics are anticipated to impact the project’s operational environment and have the potential to hinder the success of its activities. Data dashboards are a well-established component of project evaluation and have the potential to allow for the sharing of a dynamic story within a project and its context (Matheus, Janssen & Maheshwari, 2020). Dashboards bolster a culture of data use and dissemination of learning that make these stories accessible (Abd-Elfattah, Alghamdi & Amer, 2014; Matheus et al., 2020). Tamkeen’s context monitoring dashboard draws from both primary and secondary data sources to answer the following questions: What are youth experiencing as part of the program? What are they experiencing outside of the program? What factors affect youths’ ability to participate or not, and what challenges do they face in engaging with Tamkeen? How do they interact with their communities? Questions such as these help us understand the interplay between program activities and the broader operating context, which in turn helps explain how participants engage with our program. While primary data collected by the project is critical for illustrating its participants’ experiences, the integration of secondary data allows for the contextualization of these stories. There is a scarcity of examples of dashboards being used for project context monitoring, especially within civil society and peacebuilding projects. There is an opportunity for more knowledge sharing around dashboards that include contextual data that cannot be collected within the project. By detailing the mechanism of connecting secondary source data to a dashboard, this demonstration will explore the advantages of using secondary source data in digital tools to complement primary data as a means of visual storytelling. Abd el Fattah, A., Alghamdi, T., Amer, E. (2014) Dashboard technology based solution to decision making. International Journal of Computer Science Engineering and Information Technology Research. 4(2). 59-70. Matheus, R., Janssen, M., & Maheshwari, D. (2020). Data Science Empowering the Public: Data-Driven Dashboards for Transparent and Accountable Decision-Making in Smart Cities.
