Excelerate your self-injection program data

An Excel skill-building workshop series

In March 2022, the DMPA-SC Access Collaborative Learning and Action Network (LAN) hosted an interactive skill-building workshop series on creating effective data visualizations to support family planning decision-making. This series was a hands-on skill-building opportunity using materials from the Access Collaborative’s Monitoring Learning and Evaluation (MLE) toolkit.

In this sequential series, each week’s session built upon the content of the previous session. Recordings and participant workbook files are linked below. For more information, please contact FPoptions@path.org.

Workshop moderator

• Ebony Easley, Deputy Director, Access Collaborative, JSI

Presenters

• Nicole Danfakha, MLE Technical Advisor, Information Design, JSI
• Daniel Maangi, Data Analyst, inSupply Health

Workshop format
This workshop series complements the Access Collaborative’s MLE toolkit developed to help meet the data needs of ministries of health and implementing partners to support self-injection program status and implementation. The toolkit features three tools for dynamic decision-making: a data visualization principles guide, an Excel dashboard how-to guide, and a data use and indicators guide.

Sessions featured a live demonstration of the MLE toolkit’s Excel dashboard guide tool while discussing components of the data use indicators tool and best practices in data visualization tool. This included a step-by-step demonstration using a sample dataset. Participants are encouraged to create their own dashboard alongside the demonstration.

Is this series for you?
The series is most appropriate for anyone working with data and responsible for analysis in Excel among MOHs, implementing partners, and advocates. Participants should be interested in building dashboards and other data visualization products, have some working knowledge of Microsoft Excel software, use Excel on a day-to-day basis, and be familiar with pivot tables.

Session 1: Setting up a successful dashboard
Wednesday, March 9
During Session 1, participants took a close look at the data, discussed best practices for setting up data, and set up the Excel file to maximize a successful dashboard. This session covered sections 1-4 of the Excel dashboard guide and components of the indicator guide.
Session 1 recording
Session 1 participant file

Session 2: Formulas for functionality
Wednesday, March 16
Session 2 demonstrated formulas to add functionality to your dashboard, following closely the steps outlined in Section 4 of the Excel dashboard guide.
Session 2 recording
Session 2 participant file

Session 3: Pivot tables, charts, and slicers
Wednesday, March 23
Session 3 covered pivot tables, pivot charts, and Excel’s filters called slicers, closely following Section 5 of the Excel dashboard guide.
Session 3 recording
Session 3 participant file

Session 4: Formatting and designing your dashboard
Wednesday, March 30
Session 4 focused on design and formatting the dashboard. It relies heavily on Section 7-8 of the Excel dashboard guide and the Best Practices in Data Use tool.
Session 4 recording
Session 4 participant file