We’re getting ready to launch the Data Playbook in December 2021. We’ve convened 1000s during IFRC Data and Digital Week and 100s in the Data Playbook v1 project. There is currently structure and content for all ten playbook modules (building on the Data Playbook beta). 

In October, we invite you to join us to test content in short 1 hour sessions on topics such as emerging tech, data collection and more with various exercises, games and scenarios. Our team will ask for your input during the short sessions. It has been so rewarding to have feedback from across the Red Cross Red Crescent network. 

What is the IFRC Data Playbook?

The IFRC Data Playbook is a social learning tool created by National Societies and IFRC Secretariat to support teamwork on the data journey.  It consists of 30 minute – 2-hour session designs in 10 modules across a variety of data topics. The Data Playbook Project is two parts – facilitating and designing the playbook with teams and the actual content. To upgrade the Data Playbook from the beta to version 1, we’ve been obtaining feedback, co-curating content and guiding design and ownership via events, including Data and Digital Week and ongoing sprints. We are about to start Sprint #5 to pilot and test content further. See more about this below. 

Key learnings this Sprint #4 (September 2021)

We’ve appreciated the 75 individuals who came to the eight sprints we held in September.  We were able to get critical feedback that has helped us shape and craft content.  Here are some key learnings:

• Data is a team sport. Collaborative documentation creation/testing is complex. We are trying to meet a diverse global network.  
• Designing content and curriculum is an actual skill. We are trying to teach methodology, participatory design, and facilitation skills.
• The information architecture of the playbook will be critical to its success. Future users will need to find what they are looking for easily, whether it’s a module OR a standalone exercise.

Join Us for Sprint #5 – October 19 – 30, 2021

Please see the below schedule and registration link. We’ve designed these 1-hour sessions to co-create with the Red Cross Red Crescent audiences. We tried to find times to meet you across various time zones. 

October 19th – 9 am CEST – Making Data Useful/Useable to Ourselves and Others 
Register

October 19th  – 4 pm CEST –  Data and Emerging Tech 
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October 20th – 9 am CEST – Decision Making with Data 
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October 20th – 4 pm CEST – Presenting and Visualising Data 
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October 21st – 5 pm CEST – Nurturing Data Culture 
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October 25th – 4 pm CEST – Decision Making with Data 
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October 26th – 9 am CEST – Nurturing Data Culture 
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October 27th – 9 am CEST – Data and Emerging Tech 
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October 27th – 4 pm CEST – Presenting and Visualising Data 
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October 28th – 5 pm CEST – Understanding How Data Matters 
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October 28th – 3 pm CEST – Making Data Useful/Useable to Ourselves and Others 
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October 29th – 2 pm CEST – Understanding & Analysing Data
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What is the content and how can you engage

Modules are progressing well. We have a few concurrent activities: create new content, look for existing content in the RCRC network, review and update existing content for the next stages. 

In the Data Playbook beta, the Responsible Data module had the most content. We are happy to advise you on the Data Playbook V1 has almost double the learning materials to support Responsible Data and Protecting Data. We’ve grappled with how to convene conversations and activities on data sharing, consent, explaining the legal nuances of data protection and more. We continue to evolve this content to serve our audience.  Thank you to Tom Orell for joining James De France and our team for this module.   

We also hosted a special session with the “Data literacy consortium” – a network of data literacy practitioners across humanitarian, development, civil society and academic networks. Always interesting to have new perspectives to consider. 

Pilots in progress

The Data Playbook is a social learning project. We want to set teams up for success. The Data Playbook is mere content, the opportunity is making this a true ‘network-centric resource’ that will continue to have an impact on our work. We are designing, supporting and discussing pilots of various kinds – by national society, by sector, by region and by topic. We will continue to deliver these until December 2021. Then, the Digital Acceleration team will work on continued implementation and refining. 

Other ways to get involved
We are so delighted to have so many diverse people join and share their wisdom. While some people can only join the 1-hour sprint sessions, we also have module teams for all 10 of the new IFRC Data Playbook modules. For every module, we have people creating exercises, reviewing documents and more. If you would like to join a module team, please reach out to [email protected] and [email protected]