1. Coordinated Assessments & ACAPS
(Assessment Capacities Project)

2. Why do we do Assessments?
The overall purpose of the assessment is to identify needs and priorities in order to mobilize resources and facilitate response.
We believe that better information should inform a better, more appropriate response.
And we believe that have this information faster, ie as soon as possible should enable the appropriate response to begin as soon as possible.

3. Why do we do Assessments?
“While a good assessment does not guarantee a good response, poor assessment information almost certainly guarantees a bad one.”
The overall purpose of the assessment is to identify needs and priorities in order to mobilize resources and facilitate response.
We believe that better information should inform a better, more appropriate response.
And we believe that have this information faster, ie as soon as possible should enable the appropriate response to begin as soon as possible.

4. Are we good enough at doing assessments?
The Question
Are we good enough at doing assessments?
Have recent efforts at post crisis humanitarian needs assessments produced credible information within a suitable time frame to be used by decision makers?

5. Global thinking on needs assessments….
General recognition that current approaches do not provide a coherent picture of humanitarian requirements
One of the biggest outstanding challenges to the humanitarian community
multi-sector, inter-agency, timely, quality
The Operational Guidance promotes a coordinated approach to assessments in emergencies.
An issue in many emergencies is not an absence of assessment information but rather the capacity to validate and analyze the information necessary to determine priorities and guide planning of the humanitarian response.
Unfortunately certain populations or situations are often over-assessed while others never at all.
All too often, assessment data is insufficiently shared or used, and data sets from different assessments are not comparable.
Also there is insufficient time to aggregate data from multiple assessments, information needs are not sufficiently prioritized and data collection processes are cumbersome.
Often they are ambitious rather than simple, honest and able to be done in the relevent time frame and with the available resources.

6. Assessments Why so much interest?
In accordance with fundamental humanitarian principles, and as endorsed by the Good Humanitarian Donorship Initiative, humanitarian aid should be based on a clear understanding of the needs of the affected population. We live in a time where resources are scarce, disasters and crisis are increasing and donor countries demand a stronger evidence base for funding decisions…we also live in a time where we have had sufficient collective experience that should be able to be brought together to do what we do better.
However, current approaches to humanitarian needs assessment often do not provide a sufficiently coherent picture of humanitarian requirements, especially not in the initial phases of an emergency. In spite of agreement on the importance of assessment, no commonly accepted methodology for assessment exists within the humanitarian system. Numerous methodologies have been developed by individual agencies and within sectors, but it is difficult to compare the results from these different assessments. There is no consensus on how to carry out a common multi-sectoral assessment which would provide the humanitarian sector with a shared understanding of what the main needs are following a disaster.
This makes coordinated assessment one of the biggest outstanding challenges to the humanitarian community.
We believe that better data and information on the impact of disasters is a key element in ensuring the best possible response. As the UNDAC handbook states, it does not guarantee a good response and it is not the only factor affecting response.

7. Better assessments should = better aid
humanitarian aid should be based on evidence
we live in a time where resources are scarce,
we have had collective experience that should mean we do this better
no commonly accepted methodology for assessment exists
Assessments are one of the biggest outstanding challenges

8. Assessment Framework
ACAPS focuses on Assessment Phase 1 & 2

9. Phases and data volume Phase 3 Phase 4
Increasing detail & representativeness (i.e.complexity)
Phase 1
Preliminary scenario definition
Secondary information ll Field Visits
Phase 2
Multi cluster Rapid needs assessment
Purposive sampling
Community questionnaire
Phase 3
In depth sectoral needs assessment
Representative sampling
Community and HH questionnaire
Data collection volume
Phase 4
Monitoring Surveillance
Impact assessment
Representative sampling
Community and HH questionnaire
1-3 days days days > 1 month after onset

10. Global developments on needs assessments…
Coordinated Assessment
Assessments that are planned and carried out in partnership by humanitarian actors,
in order to document the impact of a particular crisis and identify the needs of the affected population,
with the results shared with the broader humanitarian community.
Joint/Common or Harmonized
IASC NATF
Operational Guidance
MIRA
Harmonized Assessment: Data collection processing and analysis is undertaken separately, however the data
is sufficiently comparable (due to the use of common operational datasets, key indicators, and geographical and temporal synchronisation) to be compiled into a single database, and to serve as the subject of a shared analysis.
Joint Assessment: Data collection, processing and analysis form one single process among agencies within and between clusters/sectors. This leads to a single report. This is sometimes also referred to as a ‘common assessment’. In contrast uncoordinated assessments are those in which data sets are not interoperable, and the results can not be used to inform the overall analysis.

11. Needs Assessment Types
Cluster/Sector
Methodology
Report
Joint/Common
Single Assessment
Single methodology
Single report
Harmonized/Coordinated
Multiple assessments
with common indicators
Single Methodology
Uncoordinated
Multiple Assessments
Multiple Methodology
Multiple Report
Increasing Coordination A B C D A B C D A B C D
Assessment Phase
Reporting Phase

12. Benefits of coordinated approaches to assessments…
Coverage increased
Duplication reduced
Early identification of gaps
Priorities (geographic and sectoral) identified
Shared vision encourages better coordination in response
Provides a more independent view of needs and a stronger evidence base on which to build funding requests
Better use of resources
Less “assessment fatigue”
Utilizes agency/stakeholder strengths weaknesses, capabilities

13. Coordinated Assessments Lessons Learned
Preparedness improves the quality and the timeliness
Managing expectations is important
A coordinated approach should begin as soon as possible
Coordinated Assessments should be considered as a process, a progressive collection and analysis of information. An assessment should not be seen as a one off event. Information will become more in depth, more sector specific and more recovery oriented over time and as information needs are refined based on information from previous assessments. Findings of each assessment phase should drive the design and focus of the assessments that follow. There should be connectivity between them.
Coordinated assessment are about providing the right information, at the right time and to the right people throughout the course of a crisis. Emergency decision makers (Donors, Government, NGOs, Cluster, UN agencies etc.) must conform to a very tight timeframe to take proportionate and appropriate decisions in different phases of a crisis. Understanding and anticipating what those decisions are, which timeframe they are submitted to and what information package and support document is the most appropriate to inform them is key for successful coordinated assessment. We shouldn’t be spending time collecting information that is not needed and will hold up the preparation of information that is needed. We must be cognisant of the phase/time of the crisis we are working in, who needs the information and why.
At its heart, a coordinated assessments are cross sectoral, cross cutting and multi-agency. They should aim to reflect the priority sectors requiring immediate assistance as well as the priority groups and geographic areas for intervention.
Coordinated assessment should be an integral part of any contingency planning mechanisms. Preparedness for joint assessments builds ownership and defines roles and responsibilities. If you arrive in the aftermath of a disaster, preparedness will be out of your control….you should look for whatever preparedness is in place (not reinvent the wheel) and a lack of preparedness does not reduce the need for information….by leaving clear documentation of how an assessment took place you can be contributing to better preparedness in a country for next time.

14. Coordinated Assessments Lessons Learned
Over-focus on primary data collection/under-use of secondary data/pre-crisis data
Nature of the data used shifts over time
Should focus on “good enough” (not perfection)
Identifying how the crisis has changed lives
Tell the story of the assessment
Often there is an assumption that the focus should be on primary data collection, causing an under-use of secondary data .
In actual fact, the initial phase of a disaster should rely mostly on secondary data and pre-crisis information rather than data your team has been collecting in the field. (This ratio will shift over time when you will have more and more primary data available).
Field visits in this phase are about validating and comparing what you find to the secondary data available from other sources and to give voice to the affected population. Constraints about time, access and logistic will implies only a few sites will be visited upon (purposive sampling). The unit of assessment will be communities or sites.
The data volume collected from one phase to the next will increase. However, a key list of issues needs to be continuously updated and monitored across phases. Ensure reasonable comparability with the data from previous assessments to be able to identify changes, patterns and trends
Information that is “good enough” for the phase : do not seek more detail or precision than needed, stick with what is needed and what is do-able. Quick and dirty is good enough. Focus only on what’s needed.

15. Coordinated Assessment: Analysis Key Points
Emphasis on data collection often allows little time for analysis
Preparing analysis plan upfront is key
Tell the story of the assessment.
The situation is a continuum; yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Include identification of information gaps
Too much focus on the data collection will generally give very little time for the analysis. Preparing analysis upfront is key ( analysis plan, starting filling the report as soon as possible)
Analysis should start immediately after the data collection start, and daily updates should be produced
Tell the story of the assessment, how was it carried out, where did the information come from, what were the justifications/reasons for the conclusions made.
Include the situation yesterday, today and tomorrow…
Includes identification of information gaps (the known unknowns) and needs for further assessment phases

16. Improving Assessments and Advocating for Coordinated Approaches to Identifying Humanitarian Needs in Bangladesh

17. Scoping Study

18. Coordinated assessment of prolonged water-logging
Why a coordinated assessment
Buy-in beyond ECB
Methodology
Lessons learned

20. Assessment objectives:
To provide a shared overview of the situation in all affected areas of the south west
To identify immediate humanitarian needs that were not addressed
To understand recovery needs of affected people

21. Bangladesh Water-logging Assessment Timeline
26th August – 6th September
Decision to carry out JNA. Assessment Planning
7th September
Training of teams in Khulna
8th – 12th September
Field data collection
13th – 15th September
Data entry
16th-22nd September
Data analysis, interpretation and report preparation
22nd September
Findings presented, report shared
15 days from field to report

24. Changes in sanitation Decrease in household latrines
Increase in communal latrines (female)
Increase if open defecation

25. Shelter
Acquiring adequate (short term)shelter was the top immediate shelter priority reported in all living arrangement except collective centers

26. Education In 45/63 sites children are not going to school
62/63 sites reported children attending school BEFORE
Education

27. Nutrition and Young Children
In all sites women reported a deterioration in the health of their children
Reduction in breast feeding and lack of usual foods reported across all living arrangements

28. Initial feedback and lessons
Different from previous assessments
Reconsider requirements for good quality information
Well received by government
More preparation
Tools review