Format: Live instructor-led online training via Zoom / Microsoft Teams

Mobile Data Collection for Humanitarian Programs Training Course

Course Overview

The Mobile Data Collection for Humanitarian Programs Training Course is designed to equip humanitarian professionals, researchers, monitoring and evaluation specialists, emergency responders, development practitioners, and project managers with practical skills in designing, deploying, and managing mobile data collection systems for humanitarian operations. The course focuses on mobile data collection, humanitarian information management, digital humanitarian response, field data collection, needs assessments, beneficiary registration, monitoring and evaluation (MEAL), humanitarian surveys, disaster assessments, rapid needs assessment, data quality assurance, real-time reporting, humanitarian analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), GPS mapping, dashboards, cloud-based data management, offline data collection, and evidence-based decision-making. Participants will gain hands-on experience using leading digital platforms including KoboToolbox, Open Data Kit (ODK), SurveyCTO, CommCare, Microsoft Power Apps, Google Forms, Power BI, Microsoft Excel, and GIS software to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness of humanitarian data collection and reporting.

The course emphasizes practical approaches for designing digital questionnaires, deploying mobile surveys, collecting geospatial data, integrating multimedia, validating field data, managing enumerators, ensuring data protection, maintaining ethical standards, and generating real-time humanitarian dashboards. Participants will develop competencies in planning digital data collection workflows, configuring mobile applications, synchronizing cloud databases, conducting offline data collection in remote areas, cleaning and analyzing datasets, and producing high-quality reports for humanitarian coordination, donor reporting, emergency response, protection programming, food security assessments, health interventions, WASH programs, education projects, livelihoods initiatives, and disaster risk management. Interactive exercises, field simulations, practical workshops, and real-world humanitarian case studies provide participants with practical experience in managing digital humanitarian data systems.

The training aligns with internationally recognized standards including the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS), Sphere Standards, Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Humanitarian Data Responsibility Guidelines, International Humanitarian Law (IHL), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus, and global MEAL and humanitarian information management frameworks. Participants will understand how mobile technologies strengthen data quality, improve operational efficiency, enhance organizational accountability, support evidence-based programming, facilitate adaptive management, improve donor compliance, and strengthen humanitarian coordination.

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to design mobile data collection systems, develop digital questionnaires, deploy KoboToolbox and ODK surveys, collect geospatial information, integrate AI-supported analytics, build interactive Power BI dashboards, perform data cleaning and analysis, generate evidence-based reports, strengthen humanitarian information management systems, and support timely, accountable, and data-driven humanitarian decision-making.

Course Objectives

1. Understand principles of mobile data collection for humanitarian programs.
2. Design digital questionnaires using KoboToolbox, ODK, and SurveyCTO.
3. Conduct mobile-based humanitarian needs assessments and surveys.
4. Collect GPS, multimedia, and geospatial humanitarian data.
5. Ensure data quality, validation, security, and ethical compliance.
6. Apply AI, GIS, and Power BI for humanitarian data analysis.
7. Strengthen humanitarian information management systems.
8. Improve monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL).
9. Generate real-time dashboards and evidence-based reports.
10. Develop comprehensive mobile data collection plans for humanitarian operations.

Organization Benefits

1. Improves speed and accuracy of humanitarian data collection.
2. Reduces operational costs associated with paper-based surveys.
3. Enhances real-time decision-making and emergency response.
4. Strengthens data quality and organizational accountability.
5. Improves monitoring, evaluation, and donor reporting.
6. Supports evidence-based humanitarian programming.
7. Enhances GIS mapping and spatial analysis capabilities.
8. Promotes digital transformation and organizational innovation.
9. Improves collaboration across humanitarian partners.
10. Builds organizational capacity for modern humanitarian information management.

Target Participants

This course is suitable for humanitarian professionals, MEAL officers, monitoring and evaluation specialists, NGO staff, UN agency personnel, government disaster management officers, emergency responders, humanitarian coordinators, researchers, statisticians, project managers, GIS specialists, field enumerators, information management officers, protection officers, food security specialists, WASH professionals, public health officers, community development practitioners, donor-funded project staff, consultants, data analysts, and development practitioners involved in humanitarian data collection and analysis.

Course Outline

Module 1: Foundations of Mobile Data Collection

• Principles of mobile data collection
• Humanitarian information management
• Digital data collection platforms
• Humanitarian data lifecycle
• Data protection and ethics
• International humanitarian data standards

General Case Study: Designing a mobile data collection strategy for conducting rapid humanitarian needs assessments following a major flood emergency.

Module 2: Digital Questionnaire Design and Deployment

• KoboToolbox questionnaire development
• Open Data Kit (ODK) form design
• SurveyCTO and CommCare overview
• Skip logic and validation rules
• Offline data collection
• Enumerator management

General Case Study: Developing a digital beneficiary registration system using KoboToolbox with GPS coordinates, multimedia, and validation features for emergency food assistance.

Module 3: Mobile Field Data Collection and Quality Assurance

• Household surveys
• Rapid needs assessments
• GPS and GIS data collection
• Multimedia data integration
• Data quality assurance
• Field supervision techniques

General Case Study: Conducting a multi-sector humanitarian assessment using mobile devices to collect household, GPS, and photographic evidence across multiple communities.

Module 4: Data Management, GIS and AI Analytics

• Data synchronization and cloud storage
• GIS mapping and spatial visualization
• Artificial Intelligence for humanitarian analytics
• Microsoft Excel data management
• Power BI dashboards
• Automated reporting systems

General Case Study: Building an AI-supported humanitarian dashboard integrating KoboToolbox, GIS maps, Excel datasets, and Power BI visualizations for emergency response coordination.

Module 5: Monitoring, Evaluation and Humanitarian Reporting

• MEAL frameworks
• Humanitarian indicators
• Data analysis and visualization
• Evidence-based reporting
• Donor reporting requirements
• Organizational learning

General Case Study: Developing a humanitarian monitoring framework using mobile data collection and Power BI dashboards to monitor beneficiary outcomes, project performance, and accountability.

Module 6: Advanced Digital Humanitarian Information Management

• Integrated humanitarian information systems
• Predictive analytics
• Digital transformation strategies
• Data governance and cybersecurity
• Emerging technologies in humanitarian response
• Sustainability and continuous improvement

General Case Study: Designing a comprehensive digital humanitarian information management system integrating KoboToolbox, ODK, GIS, AI-supported analytics, cloud databases, Power BI dashboards, mobile applications, adaptive management, and evidence-based reporting for multi-sector humanitarian operations.

General Information

1. Customized Training: All our courses can be tailored to meet the specific needs of participants.
2. Language Proficiency: Participants should have a good command of the English language.
3. Comprehensive Learning: Our training includes well-structured presentations, practical exercises, web-based tutorials, and collaborative group work. Our facilitators are seasoned experts with over a decade of experience.
4. Certification: Upon successful completion of training, participants will receive a certificate from Foscore Development Center (FDC-K).
5. Training Locations: Training sessions are conducted at Foscore Development Center (FDC-K) centers. We also offer options for in-house and online training, customized to the client's schedule.
6. Flexible Duration: Course durations are adaptable, and content can be adjusted to fit the required number of days.
7. Onsite Training Inclusions: The course fee for onsite training covers facilitation, training materials, two coffee breaks, a buffet lunch, and a Certificate of Successful Completion. Participants are responsible for their travel expenses, airport transfers, visa applications, dinners, health/accident insurance, and personal expenses.
8. Additional Services: Accommodation, pickup services, freight booking, and visa processing arrangements are available upon request at discounted rates.
9. Equipment: Tablets and laptops can be provided to participants at an additional cost.
10. Post-Training Support: We offer one year of free consultation and coaching after the course.
11. Group Discounts: Register as a group of more than two and enjoy a discount ranging from 10% to 50%.
12. Payment Terms: Payment should be made before the commencement of the training or as mutually agreed upon, to the Foscore Development Center account. This ensures better preparation for your training.
13. Contact Us: For any inquiries, please reach out to us at training@fdc-k.org or call us at +254712260031.
14. Website: Visit our website at www.fdc-k.org for more information.