Portfolio
UNDP Somalia
Improve internal processes
Client: United Nations Development Programme Somalia
Team: Mariana Monteiro, Gazbia Sorour, Maria Garreaud, Alison Blake and Shikha Kanakia
Brief
UNDP's mission is "to eradicate poverty while protecting the planet. We help countries develop strong policies, skills, partnerships and institutions so they can sustain their progress". UNDP country office staff are the main drivers behind positive change within communities. However, often the operational processes are slow, unclear or inefficient and therefore hinder the delivery of services to the public.
The goal of this initiative was for UNDP staff to identify which processes could be better facilitated, managed and improved internally, how to make them more efficient based on staff's day to day experiences and making them part of the change.
Methodology
This project presented many challenges, not only because of the cultural differences but also because we were working remotely. Therefore, we had to be smart in our ways of working, stakeholder alignment, methodologies and tools. By suggesting a creation of volunteers that led the Design Project together with the Design Team, there was much more ownership of the project from the staff side - they became advocates.
Research
First, it was conducted a survey in order to understand the most painful process withing the UNDP Somalia. We then clustered the insights by the different processes mentioned but we then realized that in fact there were similarities between types of pain points mentioned across departments, which led us to cluster the insights into two main themes: efficiency and culture.
After identifying the most mentioned process and the pain points around bureaucracy, lack of transparency and openness, lack of accountability and problems in communication and knowledge sharing, we created an online mapping of that process to share with the staff and get further input.
Key Insights and Challenges
From complex challenges regarding culture and ways of working to smaller challenges that can have a big impact on productivity and transparency.
Co-define
We presented the Research Report and the main challenges identified to the different departments. We then co-prioritised the challenges within each department through a framework to select the challenges they feel is the most feasible/viable and could have the greatest impact if solved. The departments then mapped out that challenge and the pain points identified.
“It takes too long to check if paperwork is correct - payments are constantly getting delayed.”
Staff member
“We need to develop a calendar containing all information and then involve all in it”
Staff member
