Smap Server, like many other mobile phone data collection systems, has evolved to support Design, Monitoring and Evaluation (DME).  However some of the features that make it useful for DME such as immediate analysis, flexible form design and inbuilt GIS also make it a powerful management tool.

This is the way that many of Smap Consulting’s commercial clients are using it.  These organisations tend not to go out and interview thousands of people using enumerators equipped with mobile phones instead they use use the mobile phone to suport their business processes. For example:

• The city of Calgary is managing their water assets with Smap.
• A petroleum company in Arizona is managing their plant and equipment with Smap.
• Zarkman is supporting a building firm in Canberra that uses Smap to create inspection reports in PDF format.

Non Government Organisations have been using mobile phones for DME for years.  They are very well placed to use them to improve management processes.  These processes could be in any part of the organisation.

Scenario

Multiple organisations are collaborating in responding to the emergency.  Three of the tasks that might be required are illustrated in the following 3 videos (each less than a minute long).

• Recording the plans for upcoming work including location and services to be provided
• Coordinating actions with other organisations at a meeting
• Assessing the effectiveness of interventions

Reporting on the plan

Letting other organisations, as well as people in your own organisation, know where you are operating and what service you will be providing at that location. So easy it can be done before you get your first coffee of the day. (well some people anyway!).

Note this video shows the use of an iPad application which hasn’t been released yet however the task can be performed just as easiliy in the iPad’s browser or any other browser for that matter.

Preparing for a meeting

Information from the plans of all collaborating organisations can be readily combined for reference at meetings.

Assessing Effectiveness

This is classic DME, however in the video the assessment data is combined with the planned interventions on a single map.