Consultancy: Provision of technical support to develop Website Prototype for online Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) Data Tabulator, Data & Analytics Section, DRP - NYHQ, Requisition #520060

Interest in further analysis of MICS data has been increasing over the years. Despite improvements in overall data awareness and data literacy, use of micro data for analysis is still mainly conducted by statistical experts and researchers with extensive knowledge of data analysis, using sophisticated statistical packages. At the same time, the relatively small pool of experts who conduct such analyses either use dis-harmonized data sets that result in difficulties in conducting comparative analyses, or create objective-specific harmonized data sets for such analyses, that cannot be made publicly available and do not go through the quality assurance of MICS experts.

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Background & Rationale

Throughout past two decades, Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) programme has come a long way to bring robust data on children and women to the forefront of the development agenda. Conceived initially as an idea in the field, the programme has helped transform the data landscape in countries by generating much-needed data for policy and programming, highlighting inequalities and identifying the under-served. To date close to 300 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys have been carried out in more than 100 countries, generating data on key indicators on the well-being of children and women, and helping shape policies for the improvement of their lives.

The MICS programme has been actively engaged in developing new methods for the measurement of indicators on topics of relevance to children and women, and improving the timeliness and accessibility of MICS results. The broadened agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals calls for intensified efforts in methodological work, as well as innovative work toward presenting results in easier and faster manner. UNICEF is currently supporting the sixth round of MICS. The new round introduces a number of topics that will considerably expand MICS’s coverage of the SDGs: with new modules, such as water quality testing, early learning, social transfers, victimization and child functioning, MICS now covers 32 global SDG indicators.

Research using MICS data, both country-specific further analysis and comparative research for multiple countries, is a key component of the MICS Programme. Encouragement to exploit the collected data beyond the content of the survey reports has been integral part of the programme’s capacity building and data literacy mandate. All available MICS results can be publicly accessed on mics.unicef.org.  The MICS Programme is also authorized to distribute, at no cost, unrestricted survey datasets for legitimate research.

Interest in further analysis of MICS data has been growing organically. Numerous analytical studies, comparative and trend reports, further analysis and working papers, and peer – review journals using MICS data have been published in recent years (http://mics.unicef.org/publications/publications-using-mics). To further facilitate widespread utilization of MICS data for evidence-based policy and decision making, and introduce the global community to new ways of analysing and visualizing MICS findings, the Data and Analytics Section is planning to develop an online data platform that will allow users to generate custom tables for multiple surveys, without the need to download micro data on local computers or apply statistical analysis.

This contract will help develop a system which will enable quick access to relevant data, easy analysis and visual presentation of the findings.  This online tabulation platform will support stakeholders with having access to key data related to the well-being of children and women; empower staff, partners and academia to further research and use MICS raw data; and mitigate data misinterpretation risks.

Purpose

Interest in further analysis of MICS data has been increasing over the years. Despite improvements in overall data awareness and data literacy, use of micro data for analysis is still mainly conducted by statistical experts and researchers with extensive knowledge of data analysis, using sophisticated statistical packages. At the same time, the relatively small pool of experts who conduct such analyses either use dis-harmonized data sets that result in difficulties in conducting comparative analyses, or create objective-specific harmonized data sets for such analyses, that cannot be made publicly available and do not go through the quality assurance of MICS experts.

The UNICEF MICS Team has begun work on developing a MICS Tabulator – an online interface that will enable users to use harmonized data sets to conduct analysis without having to use sophisticated statistical analysis software. The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a Website Prototype for the Online MICS Data Tabulator which will allow fast, easy, in-depth, comparative research across time and countries. 

MICS Tabulator Prototype is envisioned as complex system that can facilitate following procedures: access to harmonized MICS datasets and implementation of series of applicable conversation steps that will prepare datasets for adequate storage and analysis, automatic generation of analysis program, execution of background batch processing instructions on stored data and transformation of results into format adequate for presentation. System generated outputs should be easily converted to the final tables in the format that would be accessible for the future various presenting options (custom tables, graphs and maps).

To ascertain these objectives; UNICEF requires the support of external software development expertise. The assignments under this contract will be to:

• Support work on development of MICS web-based data aggregation and tabulation system prototype (MICS Tabulator); by developing dynamic website prototype:
  • MICS Tabulator website wireframe, including screen blueprints for following components:
    • User account: MICS Tabulator should include collection of components for creating and managing individual users accounts. This way, all user activity metadata, including tabulation and data processing results, could be saved and attached to the individual account.  This would create a unique individual virtual workspace for each user, which they can customize and utilize at any time. System should enable users to analyse data through visual interface, but also it should provide an option for advanced users to create, store, text and execute their own custom programs
    • Survey selection component: system should enable storage of the standardized MICS datasets on the cloud. Users should be able to connect to the data in the cloud, access them, combine and analyse them without writing a code. Data should be stored in the format that will allow for quick processing, without a long wait time between receipt of request and output production. Based on user’s selection, system should generate and execute batch processing instructions on stored data
    • Presentation components: generated outputs should be easily convertible into various formats: customs tables, graphs and maps
  • MICS Tabulator website mock-up: Based on the agreed website wireframe, software developer will build an interactive MICS Tabulator website mock-up. Mock-up should consist of user interface for constructing analysis and dummy outputs in the form of model tables and graphs
• Communicate with Data Collection Unit, D&A Section in UNICEF HQ, and provide feedback on the progress made, and coordinate design requirements for the MICS Tabulator mock-up development
• Participate at three technical group meetings

Due to the highly technical nature of the work involved, it is essential that only an experienced software developer who will be able to follow specific recommendations of the MICS programme are mobilized.

The deadline for achieving and submitting all the deliverables to UNICEF HQ is June 30, 2019.  More details on the assignments and the deliverables are provided below.

Expected results: (measurable results) 

• Reports summarizing MICS Tabulator Prototype development.
• Assess comparability of MICS6 SPSS calculation algorithms with proposed MICS Tabulator Prototype and evaluate need for translation of coding programmes into another more suitable software (for example Stata, R or other). 
• Development of MICS Tabulator website wireframe, including blueprint pages for information, navigation and interface design.
• Development of MICS Tabulator website mock-up; interactive demo of the website including user input interface and output examples.
• Participate in meetings with the Global MICS Team to discuss proposed MICS data processing methods improvements, MICS Tabulator Prototype development, and prepare reports outlining main meetings conclusions and recommendations (tentatively three visits to UNICEF HQ, New York are planned 2019)

Duty Station : Remote-based and travel to tentatively New York for three meetings with the Global MICS Team.

Timeframe

Start date: 1 March 2019                    
End date: 30 June 2019 

Confidentiality of Data and MICS Documents
The Software Developing Consultant must respect the confidentiality of the MICS data as well as any country specific MICS documents that will be produced throughout the MICS process. The consultant can use the documents and the datasets only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.

Key competences, technical background, and experience required  

• At least a master’s degree or equivalent in Software Development, Web Development, Programming or other related technical field with significant data processing component is required.
• Senior-level experience - at least 10 years of working experience in developing online software.
• Experience with developing data processing tools for large scale household surveys.
• Experience with MICS and/or DHS household survey programs.
• Fluency in English. Working knowledge in another UN language (e.g. French or another langue) an asset.