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SELECIS
sedesol-Coordinacion Nacional del Programa de Desarrollo Humano Oportunidades

A. Problem Analysis

 1. What was the problem before the implementation of the initiative?
The National Coordination of the Human Development Program “Oportunidades” (OPORTUNIDADES), a decentralized body of the Secretariat of Social Development (SEDESOL), is a fundamental pillar of the sociopolitical strategy of the Government of Mexico. The actions of this program aim at counteracting the critical causes that trigger the conditions in which families in extreme poverty live. The repercussions of the mortgage crisis of the United States began to be ruthlessly felt at the beginning of 2008. It first affected the US financial system and then it encompassed the international one, bringing with it a deep liquidity squeeze and indirectly generating other economic phenomena like a global food crisis, the collapse of several stock exchanges and, overall, a worldwide economic crisis. In 2009, OPORTUNIDADES was operating the Human Development Program “Oportunidades” that took care of 5 million families, representing around 27 million Mexicans in approximately 115,000 cities, 95% of which were in rural areas. The US crisis forced thousands of Mexican migrants to return to their places of origin, a situation that, coupled with the global economic crisis, exacerbated the level of poverty of those cities. In view of this, by the end of 2009, the budget for fiscal year 2010 considered a growth of 1 million families (at least 5 million people) as beneficiaries of the Oportunidades Program, and of the Food Support Program or PAL, in its Spanish acronym, covering 640,000 families. The growth of the programs entailed the need to identify the population that clearly required government support to overcome their marginality and isolation in a maximum record time of 3 months in order to mitigate their dangerous and vulnerable situation, a process that had been so far performed manually using large amounts of paper. Moreover, response times to these families involved a minimum of 8 months in order to learn whether or not they were likely to receive aid from the Federal Government. The situation could no longer be managed in such fashion given the conditions in which the population was then living.

B. Strategic Approach

 2. What was the solution?
In order to fulfill the goal of expanding coverage, during the first two months of 2010, the National Coordination of the Human Development Program “Oportunidades”, through the General Department of Register and Settlement (DGPL) and the Office of the Deputy General Director of Information Systems and Technological Development (DGAIDT), designed the "Electronic Socioeconomic Data Forms System" or SELECIS, which made it possible to survey the socioeconomic information of potential beneficiaries by the use of electronic devices enabling the storage, safekeeping and, if applicable, relaying, of collected data. The survey and assessment of socioeconomic and demographic data and the incorporation of families into the Register of Beneficiaries of the Oportunidades and PAL programs would be performed in real time through an application (information system) installed in the mobile devices that would enable the acquisition of data from the families, validating such information at the time of recording it by means of algorithms, and assessing the socioeconomic data in order to determine the eligibility and incorporation of the families. The proposed technology solution was based on the use of mobile devices (smart phones) equipped with flexible, state-of-the-art technology capable of responding to any future requirements arising from the growth in the operation demands that directly impact the solution of the identified problematic, and which correspond to: • Illegible data on the forms (socioeconomic data surveys). • High printing cost of forms due to volume (5 million annual forms). • Use of time and resources from the State Coordination Offices (CEO) and Beneficiary Service and Registration Centers (CAR) to organize the documentation packages. • Wrong coding or application in applying the filter criterion of the summary form. • Inconsistent or incomplete form data. • Inconsistent or wrong form data. • Data mistakenly interpreted. • Loss of data and/or loss of forms. The technology solution based on the use of Mobile Devices (smart phones) to support the identification and incorporation of 1 million new families in a maximum term of 5 months sought to fulfill the following goals: o Reduce processing times, from family identification, data validation up to results delivery. o Improve the quality of the data in the register of beneficiary families, avoiding the re-acquisition of printed information. o Decrease and, when applicable, eliminate the use of paper when surveying socioeconomic data of beneficiary families. o Decrease the times for responding to beneficiary families. o Reduce the socioeconomic data survey times. o Ensure data safekeeping, quality, confidentiality and integrity.
 3. How did the initiative solve the problem and improve people’s lives?
The proposed technology solution was based on the use of mobile devices (smart phones) equipped with flexible, state-of-the-art technology, capable of storing significant volumes of data and relaying such data to a central facility through GPRS technology; also, it needed to be capable of responding to any future requirements arising from the growth in the operation demands that directly impact the solution of the identified problematic. The survey and assessment of socioeconomic and demographic data, and the incorporation of families into the Register of Beneficiaries of the Oportunidades and PAL programs would be performed in real time through an application installed in the mobile devices that would enable the acquisition of data from the families, validating such information at the time of recording it by means of algorithms, and assessing the socioeconomic data in order to determine the eligibility and incorporation of the families at the time of the survey, thus providing the families with certainty about the process. The designed application would allow generating any kind of data survey instrument, enabling its use by any process requiring it.

C. Execution and Implementation

 4. In which ways is the initiative creative and innovative?
The project considered too short a time from inception to implementation; despite these time restrictions, the following stages were conceived for its development and implementation: • Strategy • Definition • Planning • Implementation • Execution All the above in relation to: • Mobile devices • Survey Generator Software • Software for Uploading Focus Groups • Monitoring Software • Training The maximum time for completion of the plan was 3 months starting in December 2009 through February 2010.
 5. Who implemented the initiative and what is the size of the population affected by this initiative?
Mrs. Angélica Castañeda Sánchez, as General Director of Register and Settlement, encouraged the initiative within the National Coordination of the Human Development Program Oportunidades, directing the efforts in project planning, design and implementation. To such end, she had the support of the Deputy General Director of Information Systems and Technological Development and of the work team of the internal systems development area. The rental of the mobile devices was arranged through the Autonomous University of Nuevo León. The applications were developed with open source software, which ensured making the most of the budget allocated to system development.
 6. How was the strategy implemented and what resources were mobilized?
The project was funded with its own resources, as each agency has a budget annually allocated by the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit of Mexico out of the Federal Treasury to fulfill the commitments taken on every fiscal year. The project cost amounted to approximately MXN 180 million (USD 14 million), 99% of which corresponds to the rental of Mobile Devices.
 7. Who were the stakeholders involved in the design of the initiative and in its implementation?
Through this innovation, to date 11,228,556 socioeconomic data surveys have been used in the Oportunidades and PAL programs to identify new beneficiary families and review the socioeconomic data of beneficiary households through recertification, reevaluation and ongoing verification processes. Impact on Field Processes o Transition from mass operations to personalized attention. o Use of electronic maps that aid geographical location. o Reduced the survey time with families from 2 hours to 50 minutes. o Reduced the staff required for data acquisition and data acquisition supervision to 0. Impact on the Family Incorporation Process o Immediate incorporation of the new beneficiary family (on-line incorporation in 2010), from 180 days to 50 minutes. o Transparency in the attention of beneficiary families. o Decrease of processing times and times for responding to the families about their eligibility, from 180 to 60 days (current data). Impact on Process Monitoring o On-line monitoring of the Social Worker. o Productivity by Mobile Device/Social Worker. o Backup/recovery of sent and synchronized data. o Reduction of data loss to zero. o Reconciliation between data sent and received. o Automated validation process of collected data. o Identification of duplicated families, family splitting or unions. Ecological Impact o Reduction of paper use. To date, around 1200 tons of paper have been saved. o Less space required to store paper. o Reduction of electric supply consumption and global warming by not using PCs for data acquisition. Economic Impact o A 17.4% saving in the cost of identifying and incorporating a beneficiary family. Cost by printed survey MXN 697.00; cost by electronic survey MXN 575.25. o Savings of MXN 1,375,732,631.00 for the federal treasury (approximately USD 100 million) to date. o Savings in the rental of processing equipment for data acquisition (about 2500 data acquisition units) and running expenses (water, lighting, cleaning services, etc.) Impact on the Federal Government o Knowledge transfer to the rest of the government programs. o Use of the same technology for data survey for programs within the sphere of the Social Development Secretariat.
 8. What were the most successful outputs and why was the initiative effective?
Several applications were developed to ensure the outcome of the project. • Survey Definition Module (MODAE) An application for recording the survey design, the generation of a questions database and its behavior within the survey (validations, catalogs of potential values, skips, backspaces, etc.), the database with the survey definition is interpreted by the Mobile Device application during execution for the performance of the surveys. • Application for DMS Module that interprets the survey design databases (questions, validations, catalogs of potential values, skips, backspaces, etc.), as well as the required behavior as regards visualization, acquisition and storage of the data from the Mobile Devices. Additionally, the application’s functionality contemplates the following:  Survey Synchronization: Sends the data of recorded surveys to the Hosting server hired for such purpose.  Focus Groups Inquiry: Allows inquiring about information on focus groups from territorial catalogs and beneficiary families for operating attention. • Focus Group Generation and Uploading System System that allows generating the database of geo-referencing data that feeds the Mobile Device Survey Application, where data collection is to be carried out; it generates the databases by geographic operating area. • Data Mapping Stored procedure that maps the information synchronized by the Mobile Device Survey Application to a relational database structure. • SEOWEB Operating Execution System that allows printing the incorporation formats (Notices and Records of Attention), the distribution of family attention formats into lots, the acquisition of records of attention and notices of incorporation for the purpose of ensuring that the data of the surveys recorded through the Mobile Device Application has been correctly sent. • SISMON System that allows generating monitoring reports on the progress and follow-up for the Operating Execution and allows reconciling the information on the relaying of data from the surveys performed through Mobile Devices. • SIOO-DM Information System for the Operation of Oportunidades that allows inquiring the situation of a family, its members and supports, in the field.
 9. What were the main obstacles encountered and how were they overcome?
One of the main problems encountered by the project was the insufficient telecommunications infrastructure that caused surveys to be partially relayed or not relayed at all. This was solved by using the Wi-Fi connection of the mobile devices so that information could be relayed from any place having an Internet connection. Another problem was to provide an immediate response to the potential beneficiary families as this brought dissatisfaction among the members of the community, particularly among those that did not become program beneficiaries. This was solved by giving families a response after 2 months.

D. Impact and Sustainability

 10. What were the key benefits resulting from this initiative?
Through this innovation, to date 11,228,556 socioeconomic data surveys have been used in the Oportunidades and PAL programs to identify new beneficiary families and to review the socioeconomic data of beneficiary households through recertification, reevaluation and ongoing verification processes. Impact on Field Processes o Transition from mass operations to personalized attention. o Use of electronic maps that aid geographical location. o Reduced the survey time with the families from 2 hours to 50 minutes. o Reduced the staff required for data acquisition and data acquisition supervision to 0. Impact on the Family Incorporation Process o Immediate incorporation of the new beneficiary family (on-line incorporation in 2010), from 180 days to 50 minutes. o Transparency in the attention of beneficiary families. o Decrease of processing and response times to the families about their eligibility, from 180 to 60 days (current data). Impact on Process Monitoring o On-line monitoring of the Social Worker. o Productivity by Mobile Device/Social Worker. o Backup/recovery of sent and synchronized data. o Reduction of data loss to zero. o Reconciliation between data sent and received. o Automated validation process of collected data. o Identification of duplicated families, family splitting or unions. Ecological Impact o Reduction of paper use. To date, around 1200 tons of paper have been saved. o Less space required to store paper. o Reduction of electric supply consumption and global warming by not using PCs for data acquisition. Economic Impact o A 17.4% saving in the cost of identifying and incorporating a beneficiary family. Cost by printed survey MXN 697.00; cost by electronic survey MXN 575.25. o Savings of MXN 1,375,732,631.00 for the federal treasury (approximately USD 100 million) to date. o Savings in the rental of processing equipment for data acquisition (about 2500 data acquisition units) and running expenses (water, lighting, cleaning services, etc.) Impact on the Federal Government o Knowledge transfer to the rest of the government programs. o Use of the same technology for data survey for programs within the sphere of the Social Development Secretariat.
 11. Did the initiative improve integrity and/or accountability in public service? (If applicable)
To date, the initiative has been quite sustainable. The operation of the program cannot be envisioned without the use of mobile devices as their use enables the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit to provide enough economic resources to maintain Oportunidades up and running pursuant to this concept, streamlining it and making it more profitable. At present, the project has been adopted by several social programs. In this way, the efforts made in Oportunidades are being acknowledged as it is easily implemented and can be used to survey any kind of information that requires validation for granting aids.
 12. Were special measures put in place to ensure that the initiative benefits women and girls and improves the situation of the poorest and most vulnerable? (If applicable)
The project has been successful in every aspect. Nonetheless, it has demanded a strong participation of the Office of the General Director and of the executives of the Oportunidades Program so as to achieve the results within the established times and in the prescribed manner. In turn, this enabled the Office of the Deputy General Director of Information Systems and Technological Development to gain a deep insight into the management of a rental agreement. Operating areas were capable of exerting control over the operations and reviewing the data of the families within the register before giving a response. Excellent results have been obtained in cost reduction and in the specialization of the operating staff in the field. The project has allowed a more thorough assessment of quality assurance and the management and safekeeping of large volumes of information. Finally, it is recommended that an ongoing review be made of the applications and their quality assurance before going into production, and an ongoing market research be conducted to be ready to tackle any technology incident that may affect the operation of Oportunidades.

Contact Information

Institution Name:   sedesol-Coordinacion Nacional del Programa de Desarrollo Humano Oportunidades
Institution Type:   Government Agency  
Contact Person:   EMILIO PATRICIO
Title:   GENERAL DIRECTOR OF TIC  
Telephone/ Fax:   52554820703
Institution's / Project's Website:  
E-mail:   patolucasdf_7003@hotmail.com  
Address:   INSURGENTES SUR 1480
Postal Code:   03230
City:   BENITO JUAREZ
State/Province:   MEXICO CITY
Country:  

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