“Developing data solutions for the public good”
© DIU team 2024
GFA Consulting Group is committed to ethical, inclusive and sustainable data practices. Guided by a human-centered approach and endorsing the Principles for Digital Development, GFA`s Digital Innovation Unit (DIU) emphasizes data solutions that meet the specific needs of clients and communities served. By harnessing the power of data and technology, the DIU aims at tackling the most pressing global challenges and building data literacy at the local level.
The DIU´s team is interdisciplinary and globally connected. Its technically and methodologically versed experts combine data, IT, design, innovation and policy expertise. The team primarily works in the four areas outlined below.
1. Data solutions for monitoring and business intelligence (BI)
The DIU advises and supports clients throughout all steps of the data value chain to unlock the full potential of their data assets for monitoring and tracking results. By collecting, transforming, and analyzing complex datasets, the DIU team measures results and develops software solutions to streamline monitoring efforts.
- For the GIZ global program Agrichains, DIU elaborated a management information system that enables the collection, validation, and analysis of data through dashboards at both country and global levels. The system facilitates the monitoring of progress against various indicator sets such as BMZ indicators, standard indicators, and SEWOH Indicators.
> Learn more about DACOTA - In collaboration with the GIZ competence centre Education, Vocational Education, Labour Market, the DIU experts developed a Digital Tracing Solution (DTS) to follow achievements of beneficiaries of vocational and higher education programs. DTS is used to collect, store, analyze and visualize data in the context of retention surveys, and supports the measurement of employment effects as well as long-term training and qualification success.
- For the GIZ global program Green Innovation Centres, the DIU team designed and executed a comprehensive data quality workflow that establishes clear processes, tools, and responsibilities to enhance the quality of data collection and analysis. In addition, the DIU´s consultants developed and deployed data cleaning routines in Stata and R, generating standardized Excel reports for the monitoring team. These reports enable efficient identification of outliers, plausibility checks, and the spotting of missing values among other critical data quality assessments.
2. Data science and artificial intelligence (AI)
The DIU leverages cutting-edge tools and methods to transform vast datasets into actionable insights and predictive models. By combining advanced analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, the DIU empowers clients to forecast trends, optimize operations, and make data-driven decisions.
- In collaboration with the GIZ Data Service Center, the DIU developed a chatbot for querying documents using large language models (LLMs) and natural language processing (NLP) methods to aid the analysis of climate policy documents.
- In partnership with GIZ and Carnegie Mellon University Africa, DIU´s team of experts elaborated a curriculum to train junior data scientists in machine learning for earth observation (ML4EO) methods. The objective was to develop ML4EO capacity in Rwanda for greater application in the agricultural sector.
- For the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE), the DIU contributed to the development of an AI-supported web-crawler that analyzes organizations’ websites based on their contributions toward sustainable development goals. The selected organizations are subsequently invited to join a dedicated online platform to connect, exchange ideas, and work together towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
3. GIS and remote sensing
The DIU deploys geographic information systems (GIS) and uses remote sensing to deliver in-depth spatial analysis and insights. The related in-house expertise enables clients to visualize, manage, and interpret complex environmental and geographical data for applications ranging from urban planning to environmental conservation.
- In collaboration with GIZ, the Egyptian General Organization for Physical Planning, and the Urban Development Fund, the DIU´s experts established a GIS system to identify and map urban degraded areas in the Greater Cairo Region that are prioritized for upgrading. The related services included the definition of appropriate indicators and measurement techniques for identifying and establishing the system using open-source technologies and satellite imagery. The DIU´s experts put a special focus on the training of technical staff to ensure sustainable benefits.
- The DIU team together with GIZ also developed a GIS system and a remote sensing methodology to quantify seasonal and interannual phenological changes in Ethiopian dry valleys under rehabilitation or protection. This specified the impact of installed irrigation structures on the surrounding vegetation.
4. Digital strategy and policy
The DIU supports and advises governments and organizations in the navigation of digital transformation. Experienced teams of consultant’s aid in the formulation of forward-thinking policies and strategies that leverage digital opportunities while addressing risks. Related services encompass regulation, digital infrastructure, and creating frameworks for the responsible use of data. The DIU generates digital service frameworks that are accessible, secure, and beneficial for all citizens and the private sector.
- As part of the Policy and Regulation Initiative Digital Africa (PRIDA), GFA supported the African Union Commission in becoming more active in global and regional internet governance, setting up and operationalizing its Digital Transformation Strategy for the continent, and harmonizing digital policy in Africa.
- Through the InTouchAI.eu project, a team of experts supported the European Commission's Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology and the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments to foster international partnerships and dialogues regarding trustworthy AI. GFA supported the promotion of the EU´s human-centric approach to AI and its translation into the AI Act as an internationally recognized benchmark.
- In 2024, the DIU began a project in Benin to develop a toolkit that will include a methodological guide for implementing a development environment for the digitalization of public services, along with the necessary technical and legal specifications and requirements.
Co-creation at the DIU
D2 (D-Squared) is the DIU co-creation hub specializing in the rapid prototyping and scaling of data-driven solutions. D2´s lean innovation framework places local actors and development partners at the centre of collaborative experimentation, ensuring that strategies and solutions are responsive to the needs of the people they are designed to support.
In the context of an EU-funded project, GFA partnered with the Ministry of Health in Ukraine to assist legal approximation efforts in line with the country’s EU accession negotiations. To this end, the D2 team streamlined policy analysis using AI-enhanced workflows, and developed a multilingual web-based app for Ukrainian legal experts to boost deep document search and conduct a comprehensive gap analysis.
> Learn more about D2 on their website.
Collaboration Opportunities
PARTNERS
The DIU is interested in expanding its network of specialized technical partners to complement its services and to collaborate in initiating and testing innovative approaches and new technologies. The DIU offers its expertise in international cooperation projects in all its business areas where proven digital technologies are scaled-up and new solutions can be piloted. Hence, digital technology solution providers interested in partnering in joint projects as a consortium member or subcontractor should contact the DIU.
EXPERTS
The DIU is also a good address for independent experts interested in short- or long-term assignments in projects. The DIU is open to working with internationally experienced professionals with a specialization in one of DIU´s business areas. These concerns:
- opportunities in projects on a fixed-term basis or for short-term project work,
- in-house opportunities at GFA headquarters in Hamburg as a freelancer or permanent staff member of the DIU, and
- research opportunities for researchers or PhD students interested in piloting digital solutions or investigating their impact.
Contact
Dr. Linda Kleemann
Head of Digital Innovation Unit
E-mail: linda.kleemann[at]gfa-group.de
RELATED PROJECTS
