7. HOW - Deployment

[Dev4x - Moonshot Education Project]

This topic is to discuss a deployment strategy that is scalable and suitable.

Here is the WIKI page that this topic is related to: https://sites.google.com/site/dev4xmoonshoteducationproject/home-page/how---deployment

[Thibault Sorret]

If anyone on the team is in or near the Detroit area, there's a panel that'd be awesome to attend. It's right up our alley.

Creating digital books as tools for promoting, developing, and extending early literacy programmes in remote/rural communities in two African countries.

Wed, March 11, 11:30am to 1:00pm, Washington Hilton, Concourse Level, Jefferson East

http://convention2.allacademic.com/one/cies/cies15/index.php?program_focus=view_session&selected_session_id=979261&cmd=online_program_direct_link&sub_action=online_program

[Bodo Hoenen]

This looks interesting, I'll forward it on to a few folks I know.

[Bodo Hoenen]

There is currently this unassigned task that we need help with, if you can help please let us know by commenting on this thread or reaching out.

• Unassigned: Establish deployment framework of things that need to be done, process, guidelines, project plans. Request advice from other NGO's that are doing deployments and create our own best practice plan.

[Thibault Sorret]

I'll take it on.

[Zainab Hameed]

Hi Thibault / Bodo

 

Do you have any udpate ont he deployment strategies, any learnings?

[Thibault Sorret]

John Wood from Room to Read -Lessons in Deployment

1) Singular Focus -Solve One Problem
Pick deployment locations that have food and water security, as well as a relatively stable political situation. You can only solve one problem at a time if we're doing things right, and the locals need to have some basic necessities in place in order for us to deploy with any chance of success. We need to consider testing in places where basic technological infrastructure exists first, and once that is confirmed to work, expand to more difficult areas.

2) GSD -Get Shit Done mentality
a) It means having someone from the team on the ground, with local partners to set up projects. Assimilation is a key concern. The people running the projects should be from the local communities in order to work. Adapt the project to fit their needs, and constantly seek feedback. If you're not learning from the local population, you're setting yourself up for MASSIVE failure.
b) Technology is not the answer. 1LPC and the thousands of unused technology donations around the world show us that "drop-aid" models don't work. Let's-help-children-in-India-for-two-weeks-and-feel-great models either. Although well-intentioned, these models are often counterproductive. Working *with* communities towards lasting change is the way to go. Technology can be a part of the solution, but we have to understand that it is a tool and means nothing if it isn't implemented properly, with appropriate, long-term support.

3) Test, monitor, and adapt
a) Get as much feedback as possible from the communities and work with them towards certain metrics.
b) Constantly self-audit, monitor and test assumptions. Communities should have enough leeway to test and run things themselves, but we need to understand what's working, what's not and why.
c) Independent audits are key to avoiding bias. Seek independent audits to track impact.