IVMF programs and research hinge on accurate and reliable data. Data itself is not simply a byproduct of what we do. Rather, it is a critical asset: to serve and inform others, to make informed decisions, and to know whether we are making an impact.
Drawing insights across a broad portfolio of national programs and research, however, each generating or collecting diverse data, requires more than analytics talent and technology. It requires an enterprise data strategy.
As a data-driven organization, the IVMF takes special care to identify how the data we rely upon creates value through our work: from identifying which data and data projects matter most, to how that data is stored and managed, to how it supports our teammates, partners, and those we serve.
Having a defined strategy for using data allows us to produce value by:
The first step to do so is to build the foundation of IVMF’s data by taking the next step for our architecture:
Original: Individual Programs & Manual Processes
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Current: Centralized via Warehouse & Clean Data
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Future: Highly Integrated & Self-Service
To support this, we must ensure that we achieve data veracity by considering several factors:
Additionally, we must begin to build a culture of data storytelling by:
Initially, we did not fully appreciate that the data we maintained was a strategic asset that could be utilized to advance our mission. We have since embraced the need for a data strategy and aligned resources to manage our data as the asset we know it to be.
Continue reading overview for building analytics Capacity in the Social Sector.
