RFD: add #modality hashtag

David Megginson

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Jun 6, 2017, 8:52:07 AM6/6/17

to Humanitarian Exchange Language (HXL)

The HXL Working Group is considering adding a #modality hashtag to the core set. The term "modality" is in common use for the mechanism by which aid is delivered (e.g. cash, voucher, in-kind), but we are concerned that it may have other common uses in the humanitarian field as well, and want to ensure that we do not cause unnecessary confusion.

The most-common use case for a #modality hashtag would be 3W/4W/5W reporting that combines multiple types of aid delivery, but it could be useful for other types of humanitarian data as well (such as post-distribution monitoring and results reporting).

What do you think about this hashtag? Would it help meet your humanitarian data needs? Is there any risk of confusion?

Cheers, David

p.s. For a list of all current proposals for the next HXL release, see Planned changes for HXL 1.1.

David Megginson

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Jun 21, 2017, 2:48:54 PM6/21/17

to Humanitarian Exchange Language (HXL)

Following up on this point, what other uses for a #modality hashtag would people have beyond 3W modality (cash, voucher, in-kind, etc.). Would it be useful in areas such as logistics? Please let us know if you use the word "modality" in your work in some sense other than the cash-specific one.

Thanks, David

David Megginson

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Jun 29, 2017, 10:34:21 AM6/29/17

to Humanitarian Exchange Language (HXL)

The WG has also approved this hashtag for inclusion in the 1.1 release this fall.