Building an Open Source Data Management System for Monitoring and Evaluation based on Data Standards

International development organizations are often challenged with managing large amounts of data and information across multiple programs and partners. Education Development Center (EDC), a global nonprofit that works to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity around the world, manages data from projects in 22 countries. In the past, our project teams either created a custom data management platform for their project or purchased a proprietary subscription-based platform. Both solutions had drawbacks. Custom solutions could not easily be replicated for other projects, and often stakeholders could not sustain subscription-based platforms beyond the life of the project.

Then we found a better solution. Using a common data standards approach, EDC created an open source data management platform called M&E Insight with customizable templates that can be easily adapted and scaled for use by international development projects, local governments, and partners. The system features a visual, interactive interface that makes it easy to collect, organize, manage, and analyze data. Data can be entered and extracted through a user-friendly online interface or collected offline and uploaded to the system, where it is then linked to interactive dashboards (with external tools) that are accessible by all stakeholders.

We have learned that development initiatives share common elements and challenges regarding data management. That is why we designed M&E Insight to meet the Common Education Data Standards (CEDS). Our adherence to the standards provides a common data vocabulary for every project, including a common set of data elements that can be improved, reused, and replicated for any project.

Readers who will find this case study useful include: - Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) practitioners who work and manage international projects that involve training and distributing goods, such as those in the fields of education, workforce development, and health - Software developers interested in using data standards and collaborating with Open Source for MERL and social impact.

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This case study was originally written by the Education Development Center (EDC) and published on the MERL Center platform.