CRS and ICT for Development
ICT4D Portfolio
Ognen Plavevski
Architect, ICT4D Solutions
March 30, 2011
ICT4 Development Conference
Lusaka, Zambia
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Introduction
• Ognen Plavevski
• GKIM Department
• Architect, ICT4D Solutions
2
Agenda
• Business Case
• Portfolio Introduction
• Objectives
• Audience
• Range of Solutions
• Outputs
• Portfolio Details
• Portfolio Range
• Report Topics
• Project Plan
• Lessons Learned
• Moving Forward
• ICT4D Considerations
• ICT4D Innovation Fund
• Ongoing Update Process
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Why ICT4D?
• Better Communication
• Collect data rapidly
• Provide timely feedback to stakeholders
• Greater Impact
• Access to information that improves decision
making and empowers local communities
• Ability to Scale
• Scale programs up faster
• Reach more people at reduced cost per
person
• Efficiency
• Technology that pays for itself by eliminating
expenses associated with conventional
approaches
• Competitiveness
• Rapid growth of donor demands for and sister
NGO investments in technology
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Portfolio Objectives
What is the ICT4D portfolio?
• Detailed overview of successfully implemented ICT project solutions
Who is it for?
• Targeted for staff designing and proposing new field projects or trying to
strengthen current projects
What are its objectives?
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Knowledge
Sharing
• Leverage the strengths of previous CRS projects.
• Understand which technology, meets your needs.
Reusability
• Minimize duplication of effort.
• Stop reinventing the wheel.
Speed to
Implement
• Complete projects faster and more efficiently.
• Utilize existing technical skills.
Portfolio Audience
What are the portfolio audiences?
The portfolio contains data targeted at several audiences, making it ideal for
everyone
1. Executive
• Summarized version of the
report targeted at management
2. Technical
Advisors
• Functional overview, lessons
learned, project plans, and cost
analysis useful in project design
3. IT
Specialists
4. Business
Developers
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• Technical details needed for
solution implementation
• Past performance write-up to
include in proposals
Portfolio Outputs
Descriptions of Field Tested ICT4D Solutions
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•
•
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Executive level overview; including estimated cost ranges
Functional and technical overviews
Consolidated lessons learned & challenges faced
Future implementation guidance, costing, and planning templates
Past performance record
Estimators
What is the purpose of an estimator?
Provides a tool, that allows for fast time and cost estimates to be produced, based on previous
project experiences. These estimates can be used to determine solution suitability, develop a
project plan or feed into a donor application.
Example Estimator Output – ABC Niger
Scenario
Description
Time Frame for
development
Tech Setup Labor
FTE (Days)
Change Setup
Labor FTE (Days)
Technology /
Logistics Budget
Run Budget
Run Labor FTE
(Days)
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Scenario 1
- 1 Country
- 1 Language
- 10 mobile phones
- 2 Trainers
- 2 Support Staff
- 1 Year Project Duration
Scenario 2
- 1 Country
- 1 Language
- 30 mobile phones
- 6 Trainers
- 3 Support Staff
- 1 Year Project Duration
Scenario 3
- 1 Country
- 4 Language
- 100 mobile phones
- 20 Trainers
- 5 Support Staff
- 1 Year Project Duration
1.5 months
1.5 months
2 months
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71
83
76
76
85
$2,200
$2,800
$4,900
$400
$550
$980
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Note: Estimates do not contain participant FTE time (only project based effort).
A range of input factors, account
for the different outcomes.
Estimated timeframe from start to
finish, based on parallel work
streams.
Technical and Change FTE costs
estimated separately
Budgets based on previous
implementation costs, that can
easily be changed to allow for the
most up to date estimates
Portfolio Outputs
Example Project Plans
• Basic project delivery methodology
• Change & Technology project plan templates
• Detailed task explanations
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Portfolio Outputs
Cost Estimators
• Provides cost estimates for project proposals, donor
responses, or to populate project plans
• User driven input interface
• Estimates by project life cycle stages
• Technology and change management focused outputs
• FTE time and material costs
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Portfolio Outputs
Selection Matrix
• A simple questionnaire that takes into account your needs
and recommends the best suited ICT4D portfolio that matches
your requirements
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Portfolio Outputs
Selection Matrix
• Contains entire ICT4D database of Projects
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ICT4D Portfolio Range
CRS Sector
Tech.
Purposes
Agriculture Food Security
Health
Remote Data Collection,
•GLCI (x6)
Analysis & Reporting
•Project ABC
•GLCI (x5)
•Project ABC
•OVC
•Rapid ER
Assessment
•Sure Start
•Futures
Education & Awareness •GLCI (x6)
(provide information) •Project ABC
•GLCI (x5)
•OVC
•Rapid ER
Assessment
Communication &
Training (two-way
dialogue)
•GLCI (x3)
•GLCI (x4)
Tracking (geographic
information)
•GLCI (x6)
•Project ABC
•LIAP
•GLCI (x5)
•LIAP
•OVC
•Rapid ER
Assessment
•Sure Start
•Futures
•LIAP
•Road
Rehabilitation
•Global Water
Initiative
•Rapid ER
Assessment
Emergency Microfinance
Education
•Disaster Risk
Reduction
•Rapid ER
Assessment
•Emer. Capacity
Building Project
Database
•GLCI (x2)
•Protect
Urban/Rural
Vulnerable
Communities
•Project ABC
•GLCI
•Rapid ER
Assessment
•GLCI (x2)
•Project ABC
Water and
Sanitation
Peace
Building
•Building
Partnership for
Human Rights in
Serbia
•GLCI
•GLCI
•Rapid ER
Assessment
•GLCI
•West Sumatra
EQ Response
•LIAP
•GLCI
•Rapid ER
Assessment
•Road
Rehabilitation
•GLCI (x2)
•Project ABC
•LIAP
•Global Water
Initiative
•Global Water
Initiative
•GLCI
Remote Services
13 Link -> https://global.crs.org/communities/KnowledgeAndInnovation/ICT4D/Conference%20Material/20100311%20Nairobi%20Conference%20External%20post%20conference%20update.pptx
Project Reports Topics
Portfolio Projects
1. Great Lakes Cassava Project
o Field agent distance learning and
mobile laptop based data collection/
analysis/ reporting
2. Futures – Aids Relief
o Health information system data
collection / analysis / reporting
3. Village Health Workers
o Health worker SMS based data
collection
4. ABC Niger
o Villager SMS based literacy learning
and market data access
5. Orphans & Vulnerable Children (OVC)
o Community health worker mobile
GPRS data collection
6. Disaster Risk Reduction
o Community representative SMS
based data collection
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Report Contents
 Executive Summary
 Project Overview and Outcomes
o Background
o Challenge
o Functional Overview
o Results Achieved
o Lessons Learned
o Problems and Solutions
 Technical Overview
 Future Implementation Guidance
 Technical Vendors
 Donor / Sponsors
 CRS Experts
 Document Library
Project Plans
Why are project plans included?
Guidance
to provide assistance to projects on the tasks that need to be completed for a
successful ICT4D implementation
Structure
help work towards a common implementation framework, ensuring activities
are approached in the correct order
Reference
provide detailed descriptions of task, ensuring all key activities are
considered.
Remember: Guidance Only! / Adapt for Your Needs / In-house Support
How do I use the Project Plans?
Methodology
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MS Project Plan
Consult the following document for more information:
https://global.crs.org/communities/KnowledgeAndInnovation/ICT4D%20Portfolio%20Documentation/Port
folio%20Methodology%20and%20Project%20Plans.docx
Task Descriptions
Lessons Learned
Lessons learnt
Outlines the mistakes made and lessons learned that
occur across multiple project implementations
Simpler is better
Don’t underestimate training
Leverage CRS Agreements
Implement Support Structure Early
Digitization on existing robust M&E / training system
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Lessons Learned
Lessons learnt
Outlines the mistakes made and lessons learned that
occur across multiple project implementations
Plan for the Peripheral Equipment You Might Need
Provide Particular Attention to Dealing with Viruses
Data Collection Pilots
Data Collection Quality Checking
Utilizing M&E Data
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ICT4D Considerations
ICT4D Considerations
Considerations that should be made when starting any ICT4D
project
ICT4D Working Group
Requirements focused Implementations
Change Management
Support and Maintenance
CRS IT Standards
Compliance
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ICT4D Innovation Fund
• The ICT4D innovation fund is a pool of $125k
from the Global Knowledge and Information
Technology Department (GKIT)
• It is available in lots of $25k
• Aims to reward country programs for their
innovation and willingness to undertake
ICT4D solutions
• Year one awards winners anounced
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ICT4D Innovation Fund
• Attempting to build 80/20 products that are
scalable, reusable
• The fund is not there to proliferate different
products, but rather to consolidate the use of
specific types of products
• Submissions reviewed on a monthly basis
• Review the application form for details
https://global.crs.org/communities/KnowledgeAndInnovation/ICT4D%20Working%20Group
%20Draft%20Documents/ICT4D%20Innovation%20Fund%20Guidelines.docx
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Ongoing Update Process
All portfolios, estimators, project plans and associated documentation can be
found here:
https://global.crs.org/communities/KnowledgeAndInnovation/Pages/ICT4DPor
tfolio.aspx
Helpdesk solution for requesting ICT4D support. Just email helpdesk@crs.org
Ongoing responsibility for all portfolio maintenance and updates is done by
Ognen Plavevski.
Any questions you have on the portfolio and its usage should be sent to ICT4DWorkGroup@global.crs.org
Any Questions?
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