Devex, 2018

The picture above shows the most important technology areas for the next generation professionals in the field of global development (Devex, 2018). These results are based on a survey of 2,500 development professionals, donors, government officials, development consultants and NGO workers working across regions and sectors. The survey, an initiative by Devex, USAID, and DAI, aims to characterize the future of
development work.

The following blog is adapted from the blog of Watters (2018).

Geographic Information System (GIS).

The ability to use GIS software to present project data, analyze the data, and create maps to visualize findings and results in a way that everybody can understand. “I see mapping as the new way of communication because it’s easier, faster, [and] eye-catching,” said Reemi Mohammad, development program specialist at USAID Jordan.

The use of mapping was also flagged by Carrie Stokes, chief geographer and director of USAID’s GeoCenter: “There’s something about seeing things visually on a map that really allows people to see patterns and understand how different factors influence a particular area of interest on the ground,” she said. “GIS technology really allows us to see those relationships.”

USAID uses GIS for example by mapping issues of food security. Current food supplies on the ground, market prices, and climate and weather conditions are processed along with household surveys and mapped to identify hotspots of vulnerability within a country. The maps help USAID where the need for food support is the greatest.

Big Data

Big data, or the processing, analyzing and interpreting big data can be used for multiple development goals. For example, it can be analyzed to inform development trends, crises, and climatic changes that could affect populations.

Due to the increased connectivity of people in the developing world the data generated by these people increases. Mobile phone records of spending patterns can provide insights on income levels, for example.

Pulse Lab Kampala has been using big data — along with GIS — to automate the monitoring of the growth of slums in real time. This was previously done manually by enumerators counting individual structures.

See in the picture below how big data can contribute to the SDGs:

UN Global Pulse (2016)

One of the options to upgrade your ICT4D skills is taking online courses such as provided on https://www.techchange.org/.

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References

Devex (2018). Next Generation Professional. Retrieved from http://reports.devex.com/nextgenpro/

UN Global Pulse (2016, July 15). Big Data and the SDGs. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/unglobalpulse/big-data-and-the-sdgs

Watters, L. (2018, July 23). What top technologies should the next generation know how to use? Devex, Retrieved from https://www.devex.com/news/what-top-technologies-should-the-next-generation-know-how-to-use-93146