dgroups partners meeting 2016
TRANSCRIPT
Dgroups Partners Meeting 2016
Hosted at IDS, Brighton -14 September 2016
Outline/overviewIntroduction to Dgroups
Progress on Action Plan 2016
Discussion
An introduction to Dgroups
Dgroups Partners Meeting14 September 2016
Neil Pakenham-Walsh (Chair, Dgroups Foundation)
Dgroups is...1. A partnership of development
organisations, striving for international development and social justice
2. A web based platform, with email at the core and as killer app
3. A global public good, inclusive and free to individual users, hosting discussion groups on international development
Dgroups Partnership Dgroups Foundation - established in 2010 in
the Netherlands
Dgroups Members - 22 development organisations: international, bilateral, think tanks, NGOs, private sector
Common vision - e-mail based and low bandwidth platform for maximum inclusion
Dgroups vision: “A world where every person is able to contribute to dialogue and decision-making for international development and social justice”
Dgroups Partnership - Governance and managementDgroups Board - entrusted with the
management of the Foundation
Participants Council - convened annually at the Annual Meeting of Members, comprises Dgroups Full Partners
Euforic Services - contracted for communications and support to the Board
[add members logos]
[add members map]
Dgroups platform - Key data700+ active communities150,000+ active users, working in
International & intergovernmental organizationsGovernment agenciesNational and international NGOsICT- and knowledge focused institutesInterested individualsProfessional groups
400,000+ email messages delivered each day
Dgroups platform - Key featuresSimple, reliable, robustFocus on Email experienceMultilingualFlexible and scalableNon commercialTargeted at low bandwidth users in the SouthHosted, maintained and developed by WA-
Research in Switzerland
Dgroups as global public goodDgroups partners support Dgroups as a global
public good - making the platform available and affordable to all stakeholders across the development sector
Dgroups hosts a large 'family' of discussion groups related to international development - this is the strength and opportunity of Dgroups
Quick links and referencesDgroups foundation website
http://dgroups.info
Info and [email protected]
Technical help and supporthttp://dgroups.org/help
Functionality improvement: [email protected]
Progress update 2016
Dgroups Partners Meeting14 September 2016
Neil Pakenham-Walsh (Chair, Dgroups Foundation)
Dgroups boardAdrian Bannister (IDS)Krishan Bheenick (CTA) - TreasurerHapee de Groot (Ind [prev. Hivos])Dady Demby (FARA)Sean Furey (RWSN)Saskia Harmsen (Ind [prev. IICD])Neil Pakenham-Walsh (INASP) - ChairKarima Wardak (UNCDF, observer)Rob Witte (Ind [prev ICCO]) - Secretary
Pier Andrea Pirani (comms support)
Work area 1: Strengthening the partnership - Neil Pakenham-WalshPriorities
1. Launch the Dgroups Directory
2. Create a visual map of Dgroups
3. Consult with Partners/WA-Research on how Dgroups can contribute to the development of Community Cloud
Progress
1. Not yet functional (awaiting WA Research)
2. Dependent on above
3. CC is a brand created by WA Research. Dgroups can help promote (and vice versa)
Work area 2: Platform improvements - Saskia HarmsenPriorities
1. Maintain facilitation of [email protected]
2. Maintain spreadsheet on functionality issues
3. Successfully implement FAO-funded and UNISDR-funded improvements
Progress
1. 42 members, ~ 50 discussions over the past 18 months
2. Dgroups Functionality Improvement tracking sheet
3. Done
Functionality improvements – key issuesDirectory…
Search…
Public view…
Work area 3: Service reliability - Hapee de GrootPriorities
1. Maintain service reliability at or very near to 100%
2. Get Hapee de Groot trained to provide deputisation in event of emergency
Progress
1. Dgroups down 4 times in 2016. Longest downtime = 2 days. Problems with slow distribution, now resolved with new servers.
2. Hapee received training at WA-Research Geneva (and Rome), March 2016. Joe Canda CEO.
Work area 4: Users’ support - Pier Andrea PiraniPriorities
1. Develop one Dgroups educational video with ECDPM
Progress
1. On hold
a. to be discussed before end of the year
b. ECDPM contributing full membership fee for 2016
Work area 5: Engaging current partners - Pier Andrea PiraniPriorities
1. Develop survey and interview series to assess views of Partners with regards to Dgroups and future development of the Partnership
2. Continue to have 1-to-1 conversations with members
Progress
1. On hold - seeking inputs from Dgroups partners
2. More frequent communications:
a. Face-to-face meetings with FAO, UNISDR, ECDPM;
b. 1-to-1 email exchanges with 12 of 16 full members
Work area 6: Marketing & outreach - Dady DembyPriorities
1. Encourage Dgroups Partners to help promote Dgroups
2. Provide support fro Dgroups presentation at a physical conference and at a web conference
3. Prepare a 30-second “microphone pitch”
4. FARA to deliver two Dgroups presentations (Nigeria; Rwanda.)
5. Market Dgroups to French audience
Progress1. 3 Dgroups partners display
logo/link2. January 2016, University of of
Cape Coast, Ghana (20 participants)
3. On-hold4. February 2016, Ibadan,
Nigeria: Dgroups presentation at Biomass Web workshop (60 participants);Rwanda: Change in side event program did not allow presentation
5. On-hold
Work area 6: Marketing & outreach (2)Priorities
1. FARA to deliver two Dgroups presentations (Nigeria; Rwanda.)
2. Market Dgroups to French audience
Progress
1. February 2016, Ibadan, Nigeria: Dgroups presentation at Biomass Web workshop (60 participants);Rwanda: Change in side event program did not allow presentation
2. On-hold
Work area 7: Governance & admin - Neil Pakenham-WalshPriorities
1. Seek further opportunities to strengthen the Dgroups Board, including gender and geographical balance.
Also: We now have 3 independents (shortly to be 2). Lacking representation from FAO, DFID, SDC, UNISDR.
Progress
1. 2016 new Board Members
a. Sean Furey, RWSN
b. Karima Wardak, UNCDF
c. Adrian Bannister, IDS
Rob Witte, Hapee de Groot, Neil Pakenham-Walsh reinstated for second term.
Work area 8: Finance - Krishan BheenickIncreased annual membership fee and introduction of Associate Membership in 2014 have improved income. A few Members have also paid in advance. However, several Full Partners have announced going through restructuring in 2015, with possible repercussions on membership in 2016.
Efforts to raise income from potential Full Partners, coupled with cost sharing for already identified improvements to the Dgroups platform have been negotiated in 2015, to be implemented in 2016.
Engagement of new Full Partners remains a priority.
Work area 9: M&E - Sean FureyPriorities
1. Improve availability and usefulness of Dgroups statistics (overall & individual groups).
2. Develop 3 case studies to demonstrate benefits of Dgroups membership.
3. Share 1 example of a Dgroups user survey and results.
Progress
1. Statistics menu function working again. Further discussion needed with Partners/WA-Research on what else would be useful
2. RWSN case complete - needs finalizing and publishing
3. RWSN member survey shared comparing Dgroups favourably to other RWSN online platforms
