Data Issues in 100-Day Challenges
Data Issues in 100-Day Challenges
In the 100-Day Challenges, data serves as the compass to prevent teams from drifting into vague activities. As a Coach, your role is to ensure that data is not just a reporting requirement but a tool for rapid innovation.
Deep Dive Video
The Baseline Foundation
To set a “meaningful” 100-Day Goal that represents significantly higher performance, teams must first understand their starting point. Coaches and Challenge Strategists should strive to gather as much baseline information as possible before the Start-up Workshop.
Targeted Indicators
Identify the specific performance area the team is being asked to improve.
Gather as much of this information as possible, preferably before the Start-up Workshop.
Related Performance Areas
Gather data on areas that might be indirectly affected by the team’s work. For example, if the team is looking at increasing the use of support services to victims, they could also look at response time and quality of service
Preventing “Unintended Consequences”
If the focus is on improving police response times to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) calls, you must also track response times for other serious crimes. These potential risks should be explicitly flagged to the team in the Challenge note to ensure they do not achieve progress at the expense of other essential services.
Frequently Asked Questions about 100-Day Goals
Many teams struggle with data logistics. Use the following guide to help your team navigate common hurdles:
What if there is no baseline?
For example, what if we want to set a goal related to increasing the response time of police to sexual assaults, but we do not know the current response time (no one has been tracking it).
Here are two possible ways to handle the situation:
Option A: Use the first month of the sprint as a “surrogate baseline” while the team builds a tracking system. Compare the final month’s performance to this initial period.
Option B: Set an absolute standard (e.g., “Response time under 20 minutes”) regardless of current performance.
Tracking Frequency
How often should we track progress against the 100-Day Goal?
Track progress as often as possible—ideally once a week—to allow for review during weekly team meetings.
Data access denied
What if those with the data do not share it with us?
For example, the police are not releasing the number of reported sexual assault cases?
Leverage the Team: Ensure a representative from the data-holding organisation (e.g., the police) is on the team.
Pivot: Use related data from NGOs or the Department of Social Development, such as the number of survivors receiving support.
Escalate: Speak with senior leadership (e.g., the Police Commissioner) to explain the 100-Day process.
How to calculate the baseline
If our goal, for example, is to reduce the withdrawal rate of domestic violence cases in half, what rate do we use as a baseline? The average monthly withdrawal rate in the past 12 months? The withdrawal rate in the past 100 days? Some other time frame?
This depends on a few variables.
Random Variation: Use an average of a larger sample (e.g., the last 12 months).
Trending Data: Use the most recent months or project the current trend into the sprint period.
Seasonal Variation: Compare the sprint months to the same months from the previous year.
Low Frequency Event
What if the team’s goal is related to an impact that does not occur regularly, such as cases reported at a TVET college, which may occur only once a year?
The national statistics show that only 1 in 9 cases gets reported each year.
Set “Unreasonable” Goals: If reporting is known to be low, set a goal based on what national statistics suggest it should be. An “unreasonable” goal could mean that there should be at least 1 or 2 cases per month.
Anonymous Surveys: Conduct a survey in the first fortnight to determine the actual prevalence.
Referral Points: Track the number of students or victims who seek help at support points, rather than just official reports.
