Wizard Application Automating Project-level Data Flows

International Rescue Committee (IRC), 2016

2Paths worked with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to build a wizard application that automates the flow of project-level data into an open source health management information system called DHIS 2. The new application enables more efficient project analysis and reporting which supports the IRC’s commitment to evidence-based decision-making. IRC administrators via the new wizard application benefit from time savings through the ability to schedule and automate the flow of data from CommCare into DHIS 2.

The Client

IRC is an international not-for-profit organization that helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster.

Automating the connection between field-level data and data analysis

The IRC collects project-level data in various ways such as paper ledgers, mobile devices and direct computer entry in the 40+ countries they work in. Once the data are collected, staff then need to feed it into the IRC’s health management information system, called DHIS 2, in order for IRC administrators to analyze the data and report on projects.

To support its commitment to evidence-based decision making, IRC desired to introduce as much automation as possible to the process of passing field-level data into DHIS 2.

Automation enables data analysis

2Paths worked with IRC to develop a connector which automates the flow of project-level data collected via CommCare into DHIS 2. The automated connector is called the Comprehensive Online Measurement and Effectiveness Tool (COMET) Connector.

As a wizard application, the COMET Connector enables IRC administrators to configure, map, transform and import data from CommCare to DHIS 2. Staff configure the COMET Connector by data-mapping specific CommCare form fields to DHIS 2 data elements. This capability allows IRC administrators to schedule and automate data retrieval from CommCare and efficiently import and transform the data into DHIS 2.

Technologies used

  • DHIS 2
  • CommCare
  • Java/Grails/Groovy
  • AngularJS
  • Spring
  • Quartz
  • PostgreSQL