So the million dollar question…what is data? In simple terms, data is useful information. The stuff that organisations use to improve people’s quality of life, make informed decisions, stop molehills from turning into mountains and evaluate whether your plans are working. 

Additionally, data allows organisations to more effectively determine the cause of problems, visualising relationships between what is happening in different locations, departments, and systems. 

There are many different methodologies used for data collection and analysis like interviews, focus group discussions, observation, photography, video, surveys, questionnaires, and case studies. And many of us have come across many of these in one way or another. 

So let us  gear our attention towards KoBo toolbox. KoBo Toolbox is a free open-source tool for mobile data collection, available to all. It allows you to collect data in the field using mobile devices such as mobile phones or tablets, as well as with paper or computers. 

It is built by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative for easy and reliable use in difficult field settings, such as humanitarian emergencies or post-conflict environments. 

It is being continuously improved and optimised particularly for the use of humanitarian actors in emergencies and difficult field environments, in support of needs assessments, monitoring, and other data collection activities .KoBo supports the full data collection cycle – form design, data collection, and analysis. 

There is a free instance of KoBoToolbox hosted and supported by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) and can be used without limitations by any humanitarian organisation. Click here to access it. After setting up your desktop version,you’ll need to setup your mobile version which will enable you to access KoBo remotely. To do so, go to the Playstore on Android and download the KoBo Collect  app. Follow these instructions to setup your account. 

Options are also available for you to download and install KoBoToolbox on your own server or personal computer. 

What are you waiting for😂  ? Rollup your sleeves and delve in the world of data collection using Kobo. It’s fun, exciting, and intuitive.