How can you organize a study about Return on Investment (ROI) by applying GIS within a humanitarian organization?

This method is interesting because it allows for the effective application of GIS in a humanitarian context to identify points within a functioning structure (such as an organizational structure) that need improvement.

Typically, the application of GIS by an NGO begins with pilot projects or regional operations.  The extension of GIS to the structure of the projects, themselves, can be applied to all levels of the organization.

This “business” approach created by ESRI Swiss and presented by Victoria Koujoumjian is contrary to the field-to-office approach. Rather, an office-to-field approach is used to bring on board the decision-makers and the GIS technicians from the start of the project through discussion.

This study (prior to feasibility with the ROI approach), goes through ten steps (http://roi.esri.com/index.cfm) including: the establishment of a GIS strategy, the calculation of the costs for the GIS approach and the estimation of the benefits of GIS use.  The presentation of the tool is effectively equal to presentations of Excel matrices after guiding the process to estimate the profit margin.  

This training is useful for NGOs that are interested in making an investment in GIS because this method allows decision-makers to quantify the advantages of using GIS to estimate the potential pay-off of the programme and/or GIS can save on costs. 

A different yet practical approach called the “Map Portfolio Catalogue” can be applied after convincing superiors of how GIS mapping can be used to achieve progress in the NGO field to save on costs and improve the NGO’s work.

This “business” approach is understandable by all.  Everyone knows that cost-effectiveness in financing projects and is integral at all levels.  Of course, the method of presenting this information is essential.