Practical Insights on Technology for ICT4D Projects

If You Are Still Collecting Data on Paper, You Are Wasting Everyone’s Time

If You Are Still Collecting Data on Paper, You Are Wasting Everyone’s Time

Published on: Mar 16 2017 by Wayan Vota - 8 Comments
Way back in 2001, Satellife pioneered the use of PDA’s for health-related data collection in Uganda and Kenya. In the 15 years since, Satellife became the...
Innovations to Accelerate Universal Internet Adoption

Innovations to Accelerate Universal Internet Adoption

Published on: Mar 15 2017 by Guest Writer - 4 Comments
Mobile and internet services have the power to transform lives, offering life-enhancing financial, health, and many other services, as well as the simple ability...
Stop Funding Data for Superman Systems!

Stop Funding Data for Superman Systems!

Published on: Mar 09 2017 by Guest Writer - 5 Comments
The data revolution is well upon us, with the total data produced doubling every two years. Organizations are processing of an over-abundance of data using a variety...
Universal Internet Access for the Next Four Billion

Universal Internet Access for the Next Four Billion

Published on: Mar 08 2017 by Guest Writer - 1 Comment
Despite remarkable increases in connectivity over the last decade, less than half of the world’s population currently has access to the Internet. For the development...
How IoT Early Warning Systems Can Help Save People From Mudslides

How IoT Early Warning Systems Can Help Save People From Mudslides

Published on: Feb 13 2017 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on How IoT Early Warning Systems Can Help Save People From Mudslides
Floods and mudslides regularly devastate El Salvador. Villagers can identify impending floods and mudslides, but they are unable to warn others in time. Rugged...
4 Requirements for Technology Project Sustainability

4 Requirements for Technology Project Sustainability

Published on: Feb 09 2017 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on 4 Requirements for Technology Project Sustainability
I am often called in to help when a technology project has gone awry. For example, once a partner organization gifted a network-attached storage server (NAS) to...
Please Help USAID Develop Responsible Data Practices for Digital Development

Please Help USAID Develop Responsible Data Practices for Digital Development

Published on: Feb 06 2017 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
Are you managing personally identifiable data? Have you struggled with the need to share, yet protect sensitive data? Do you worry about privacy risks and want...
Does Informed Consent Really Matter to a Poor Farmer?

Does Informed Consent Really Matter to a Poor Farmer?

Published on: Jan 26 2017 by Wayan Vota - 13 Comments
One of my first tasks at IRRI is to develop a consent form we can use across our agricultural extension service tools that at a minimum will inform end-users, usually...
How We Fought Ebola with Information

How We Fought Ebola with Information

Published on: Jan 25 2017 by Guest Writer - 1 Comment
In December 2013, a little-known viral hemorrhagic fever in West Africa was detected in a forest region of Guinea. It was soon confirmed to be Ebola Virus Disease,...
We Can Now Fingerprint Children at 6 Months Old, But Should We?

We Can Now Fingerprint Children at 6 Months Old, But Should We?

Published on: Jan 19 2017 by Wayan Vota - 2 Comments
In 1899, Sir Francis Galton first captured ink-on-paper fingerprints of a single child from birth until the age of 4.5 years, manually compared the prints, and...