Data Upskilling for International Development at IREX

WebinarMay 2022

IREX, the global development and education organization, is in the middle of an ambitious five-year training plan to increase data literacy for all its employees.

In this webinar, Philip Davidovich, Senior Technical Specialist, and Grace Chimezie, Learning Facilitator, shared their story of running a data literacy program. They discussed the challenges they encountered and the successes they've achieved, along with practical advice for running your own data literacy program.

Key takeaways:

Learn why data literacy is important for global development, and in nonprofit organizations
Learn how to implement your own data literacy program
Understand the benefits of having organization-wide data literacy

Summary

The webinar concentrated on a data upskilling program by the global development organization IREX, underlining the significance of data literacy across all levels of the organization. The initiative, named the Data Learning Journey, was developed to enhance data fluency, address the isolated nature of data use, and promote a cooperative approach. Essential elements of the program included the creation of data personas, a data fluency learning series, and a data challenge. These factors were intended to break down barriers between data producers and consumers, establish a culture of data fluency, and empower participants to effectively solve complex problems using data. The program's success was evidenced by significant staff engagement and the creation of innovative projects that used data insights to drive organizational change. Webinar quotes stressed the transformative impact of the program, with Richie commenting, "We wanted to break down the barriers people felt that they had to engage with data and allow it to be an open playing field," and Grace conveying the significance of "having good leadership that encourages the use of data or the work you do is really important."

Key Takeaways:

The Data Learning Journey aimed to enhance data literacy across IREX.
Data personas were developed to help staff identify their roles and contributions to data use.
The program emphasized the importance of collaboration in solving complex problems with data.
Notable engagement was achieved, with 10% staff participation in the program.
Innovative projects were created, using data insights for organizational change.

Deep Dives

Data Learning Journey Initiative

The Data Learn ...
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ing Journey initiative was developed to address the increasing gap in data skills within IREX by establishing a culture of data fluency. It aimed to break down isolated data use and promote cooperation across different roles within the organization. The initiative was built on the understanding that all staff, regardless of their position, contribute to the use of data and evidence for learning and improving outcomes. This approach was based on the belief that data is a critical tool for learning and improving processes to address complex problems. An essential component of the initiative was the development of data personas, which helped staff identify their roles and contributions to data use. As Grace commented, "We wanted to break down the barriers people felt that they had to engage with data and allow it to be an open playing field." The initiative also included a data fluency learning series and a data challenge, which brought diverse skills and roles together to solve complex problems.

Data Personas and Cooperation

Data personas were a significant element of the Data Learning Journey, designed to help staff reflect on their engagement with data and identify the value they bring to their work. The personas were not prescriptive but intended to start a conversation about the different roles and contributions within a team. This approach, inspired by Alan Cooper's concept of personas, aimed to establish empathy and cooperation among team members. Grace highlighted the importance of this approach, stating, "We wanted people to identify the value that they bring to their work, but also to identify how within their current work that they do are able to engage with data." The personas helped break down isolated data use and encouraged staff to cooperate with others within their teams, ultimately leading to more effective and innovative use of data.

Data Fluency Learning Series

The data fluency learning series was a rigorous component of the Data Learning Journey, designed to enhance collaboration and problem-solving skills among staff. The series consisted of sessions focused on different components of data cooperation, emphasizing the importance of a common language and understanding of data. This approach was aimed at establishing a data-fluent culture, where staff could engage in meaningful discussions about data and its use in their work. The learning series was well-received, with significant improvements reported in participants' data fluency skills. Richie highlighted the importance of this approach, stating, "The meaningfulness of having people come together between roles and folks that they might not have otherwise met in the organization and have a conversation that some perceive as over their heads in an approachable way turned out to be some of the most meaningful takeaways from this process."

Innovative Projects and Organizational Change

The success of the Data Learning Journey was evident in the innovative projects created by participants, which used data insights to drive organizational change. These projects included updating data management systems, analyzing trends in democratic backsliding, and developing digital systems to monitor media literacy opportunities. The program's impact extended beyond the 10% of staff who participated, as it established a culture of data fluency and cooperation that permeated the organization. This was highlighted by the engagement of staff from diverse roles and responsibilities, who found common ground and worked together to solve complex problems. Grace emphasized the importance of leadership in supporting this process, stating, "Having good leadership that encourages the use of data or the work you do is really important." The program's success in establishing a culture of data fluency and cooperation was a representation of the transformative power of data literacy initiatives.