Innovations and Development

The first Single Registry (SR) was introduced in 1994 in Colombia. Despite their growing popularity since then, SRs are often not used to their full potential due to a lack of knowledge on how to maintain a dynamic, constantly updated system which is continuously being enhanced and how to effectively use data for Social Safety Net (SSN) improvement, planning, and policy-decision-making.

Based on extensive successful experience in the design and implementation of SSNs, Ayala Consulting has developed an innovative SR that addresses common targeting inefficiencies in SSNs and includes key characteristics for its maximal use, efficiency and effectiveness.

This SR entails the following features and design considerations:

• Household aggregated data for PMT development that categorizes Households allowing SSN programs to undertake transparent, efficient, effective and unified targeting of their respective beneficiaries.
• Data sharing arrangements between participating programs, agencies, research and policy institutions as well as the private sector for efficient and quick data verification, update and above all targeting of SSN programs.
• Case Management handling and Recertification to guarantee a dynamic registry with constantly updated and real-time information.
• Reporting instruments to better visualize and monitor information and therefore improve effectiveness of planning and decision-making.

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In the past, different social protection programs within a country were often implemented separately, leading to duplication of efforts in processes such as Targeting, for example. Now, many countries are pursuing more efficient results through the joint implementation of complementary programs, such as implementing a Cash Transfer program together with a Cash for Work program.

We are experienced in streamlining processes when possible to facilitate the design and implementation of joint programs such as these and provide better results in shorter time periods.

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Considering accessibility constraints in a supply capacity analysis of Health Centers and/or schools can be difficult, especially in countries where this type of analysis has never been done before. We use GPS and Google Maps to make an efficient and up-to-date macro analysis of the situation. This methodology allows us to take into account not only quantitative data, such as fixed distance between a community and a health center, but also qualitative barriers, such as availability of transportation or geographic elements. With this new process, we can complete the supply capacity analysis faster, and with more precise results.

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To meet the needs of diverse countries, we have refined the data collection process using tablets or laptops according to the needs and infrastructure present in the country. We have developed procedures for “on-line” processes, in which data is entered directly in the system through the Internet, as well as for “off-line” processes, in which information is collected in a device and later exported to be copied into the system.

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We take advantage of the most advanced technologies to implement transfer systems that are more and more automatic and less manual. We have used tablets and laptops when possible in the transfer point to improve the ease and accuracy of reconciliation and the management of records, and to improve security of the process using barcodes and biometric technology. In this way we avoid the manual, external handling of transfer reconciliation records that was used in prior projects, making the process more efficient, safe and simple.

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The growing tendency to implement Single Registries to manage the data of social protection programs necessitates the development of new protocols for managing those systems. In our experience in the field we have particularly developed those processes related to sharing information between social programs, government departments, and third parties with the goal of improving the social protection network, providing ongoing updates to the database, and supporting academic research projects.

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To remain efficient and accurate, a Single Registry must capture changes over time in the poverty levels of registered households. Our Recertification Module for the Management Information System (MIS) meets this challenge.

The Recertification process is designed to take place several years after initial implementation (ideally 4-5 years). The Single Registry Management Unit must carry out a new poverty assessment survey in the selected geographical regions. The new information collected is used to update the household records in the MIS and re-calculate the poverty category of registered households, ensuring that the Single Registry reflects changes in the poverty levels of households. With the use of this module, the various social protection programs in the country can have confidence that the information in the Single Registry will never be outdated.

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A Single Registry must remain flexible to possible changes in households’ economic circumstances as personal or environmental events may affect their poverty status. For this reason, we have designed a Reclassification process that allows the Single Registry to dynamically respond to these events through two types of reclassification.

1. Individual reclassification: occurs when dramatic changes have taken place in a household due to a personal or natural disaster such as significant loss of assets or a family member’s inability to work. Based on the household’s request, the household’s information is re-collected and re-analyzed, and the household is reclassified either temporarily or permanently in the Management Information System (MIS) according to the rules established by a specific program.
2. Geographical reclassification: enables the Single Registry to respond efficiently and flexibly to a natural disaster. Within a determined affected geographic area, the classification of all households can be adjusted temporarily. Those that enter into certain poverty classifications can benefit from aid or interventions post-disaster. Details of this part of the process can be found in the section Single Registries in Disaster Response, below.

By including the Reclassification process in the Single Registry design, it is possible for the Registry to incorporate the results of these individual or collective disasters in a timely manner, meaning that the households affected can access aid from social programs quickly.

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Within the Reclassification process, the geographical reclassification option is designed to allow a Single Registry to respond quickly and flexibly during and after a natural disaster.

Through this process, during or immediately after the disaster the Single Registry can rapidly supply poverty data on affected households to the social programs responding to the disaster, allowing them to more quickly and effectively reach the most vulnerable.

The second part of the process takes place after the natural disaster. At this time the Management Unit undertakes a new data collection process for all households in the affected area to accurately capture changes in poverty levels.

With this dual process, the Single Registry can be a significant tool for the country’s humanitarian response to natural disasters.

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We have seen that when monitoring of a program is added as an afterthought to program design, it tends to come too late and be too weak to have a significant impact on improving program operation.

For this reason, we have developed a procedure for including a system of indicators for internal monitoring of a program within the information system (MIS). The module created displays groups of indicators by theme, and filtered by other variables (geographic, individual). Our system of indicators aims to provide management with a complete picture of a process or sub-process of a program, incorporating indicators relevant to the particular program.

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Among the innovations we have included within the internal monitoring module is the Household History, which allows the Management Unit to control for data quality and consistency within a Management Information System (MIS).

The Household History displays a report summarizing the most important characteristics of a household, such as geographical location, family composition, social programs in which the household has participated, among others.This report shows a history of changes in the household throughout its time registered in the MIS.

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We have developed a Spot Check module to include in the Management Information System (MIS) of National Household Registry projects to meet the need for continuous quality assurance monitoring. This module enables systematic checks to be carried out on household data collection.

With this module the system performs an automated verification of the data originally collected by field teams with new data collected by the spot check team to identify variations in the data, ensure that it meets a minimum standard of accuracy, and allow program staff to manage the verified data, choosing to accept or reject the data based on the spot check results.

The Spot Check module is an important tool to ensure that the highest-quality data is collected to build a reliable registry of households.

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In Ayala Consulting the development of our MISs is based on open source products and application of best practices for the use of technology in social development projects.

The “Principles for Digital Development” capture the most important rules to design technology focused on development programs. They follow the Greentree Principles of 2010, the UNICEF Innovation Principles of 2009, and the UK Design Principles, among others. These principles are shared by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, UNICEF, The World Bank, SIDA, Omidiyar Foundation, The State Department, WHO, HRP, UNHCR, WFP, UNFPA, UNDP, Global Pulse, UNWomen, and OCHA. The principles are:

• Designing with the user
• Understanding the existing ecosystem
• Designing for potential scale-up
• Being data driven
• Using open standards, open data, open source software and open innovations
• Maintaining privacy and security
• Being collaborative.

In Ayala Consulting we develop systems using these principles for digital development to ensure that Software Applications are based on the needs of final users. Our technology works properly either with thousands or millions of users to avoid difficulties when a larger target audience has to be covered. Additionally, our technology is devised so that it can be customizable in different countries and contexts.

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