Can technology improve the process of building evidence-based models?
Johns Hopkins University Department of International Health is a global leader and partner in building capacity and identifying, developing, testing, and implementing practices and policies that help the world’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged people improve their health and well-being.
We partnered with 2Paths, our technical partner, to work with the university to research the feasibility of the next version of a web-based diagramming tool to build interactive, evidence-based models of change for programs focused on maternal, newborn and child health. We worked closely with our project sponsor at the university to articulate the hypothesis for the project. We conducted in-depth research into theories of change and the tools used currently to build evidence-based models.
We conducted audience research, collecting qualitative data from Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) through a combination of remote interviews and in-person interviews in Baltimore, MD with university staff. This enabled us to gain an understanding of the context and environment within which people designed, monitored, and evaluated projects, and implemented evidence-based decision making. Based on our findings, we co-authored a journal article for the university.
