Development of an Integrated Data Management System (IDMS)

Development of an Integrated Data Management System (IDMS) for Digitized Data Collection, Aggregation, Storage, Analysis and Visualization

Planning & Design

Donor: Investing in Children and their Societies (ICS SP)

Scope: Kenya, Tanzania and Côte d’Ivoire Programs

Across the three countries ICS implements programs and projects that aim to (i) Empower community leaders, structures and groups to influence change and actively lead community transformation, (ii) Create safe schools through Whole School Approach which promotes parental engagement and empowerment in children’s education, (iii) Promote positive and respectful caregiving practices and family relationships to prevent co-occurrence of violence against children and women, and (iv) Generate and use evidence to influence responsive laws and policies together with local leaders, government agencies and the private sector.

The system was designed to meet ICS SP’s specific requirements for a centralized, web-based system that enables automated data aggregation, seamless API integration with existing data sources, real-time monitoring and visualization, secure role-based access control, multi-level data hierarchy, and results tracking linked to financial data. The solution incorporated industry best practices in data management, security, scalability, and user experience, while paying particular attention to the sensitive nature of ICS SP’s work with vulnerable children and communities. The architecture was tailored to meet the organization’s operational footprint across Africa, with consideration for potential expansion to other regions.

Design Methodology

The solution comprised several components and some of them were programmed, while others implemented on open-source programs. The language implemented was dictated by its purpose and both administrative and user interfaces were designed using Java and JavaScript Progressive Web App (PWA) to communicate with the backend, and PostgreSQL to retrieve, insert, delete, and update the system. The interfaces were developed using react-based libraries, and then the mobile app developed using react native. The front-end design was easily applied to the entire site to assist in the overall navigation and usability of the dashboard. The application allowed for multiple users to login and interact with the dashboard at the same time.

The key system architecture comprised;

Data Collection Layer (Mobile and offline data collection capabilities)
Data Storage Layer (Secure central database)
Processing Layer (Data validation and quality control, Analytics engine for KPI calculation)
Presentation Layer (Real-time dashboards)
Security Layer (Access control and authentication, Data encryption, Audit trails)
Integration Layer (APIs for third-party systems, Data export/import functionality)

Project Days

45 days

Country

Kenya, Tanzania & Cote d’ivoire

Budget

USD 35,500

Project Duration

May – June 2025

Design Process

The design involved several phases;

Phase 1 – Needs Assessment and Stakeholder Engagement
Phase 2 – System Design and Development
Phase 3 – Data Integration, Validation, and Management
Phase 4 – Development of a visualization dashboard
Phase 5 – Deployment, Testing, and Support
Phase 6 – Training and Capacity Building

Design Report

Upon completion in designing the system, a completion report was compiled that included; a user manual, compliance with data protection regulations, 6-month technical and user support, and access and authentication guidelines.