Social Impact Tech 101
Juan Pablo Sarmiento
© 2024 Juan Pablo Sarmiento
Social Challenges
Climate change
HIV/AIDS
Gender-based violence
Maternal and child health
Gun violence
Etc…
Where do we even start?
Areas I’ve worked in
30+ nonprofits
12+ governments
Areas I’ve worked in
Public health
Humanitarian response
Food security
Agriculture
Homelessness
Anti-human trafficking
“Social Impact”
Positive change in the well-being of individuals or communities
At large scale?
At large scale? Not necessarily.
Measurable? If possible.
Gap-closing?
Gap-closing? A must.
Sustainable?
Sustainable? Necessary.
But what does social impact tech look like?
Ride sharing
Edutech
Fintech
Social impact tech
What are its patterns?
Stakeholder Breakdown
It’s not just about users anymore.
Stakeholder Breakdown
Users
Who will use your product?
Stakeholder Breakdown
Clients
Who did you commit results to?
Stakeholder Breakdown
Target impact group
Who is your product ultimately trying to help?
Stakeholder Breakdown
For high accountability, measure and deliver impact to all stakeholders.
Users
Clients
Target impact group
Types of Social Impact Software
Types of Social Impact Software
Charitable giving
Decision-making
Business operations
Types of Social Impact Software
Charitable giving
Decision-making
Business operations
Charitable Giving
The problem: young girls in rural areas of Zambia are at higher risk of dropping out of school, which increases the risk of childhood marriage, poverty, and AIDS.
Proposed solution: an app to crowdsource funds to help rural girls in Zambia to stay in school.
Charitable Giving Apps
GiveDirectly
Facebook fundraisers
Watsi
VolunteerMatch
Charitable Giving App Patterns
UI: explore profiles and send donations
How do we transfer payments safely?
How do you collect the profiles?
How do you follow up with the target impact group?
Other Types of Charitable Giving Problems
Nonprofit Evaluation: Charity Navigator, GiveWell
Donation management: every.org
Decision-Making Products
Decision-Making Products
Population-level decision-making (macro)
Operational decision-making (micro)
Population-Level Decision-Making
The problem: a U.S. nonprofit wants to educate people and policymakers on the effectiveness of gun control laws.
Proposed solution: a public dashboard for users to explore the impact of gun control laws in different states
Population-Level Decision-Making Apps
Johns Hopkins COVID dashboard
Health Management Information Systems (DHIS2)
Recidiviz
Population-Level Decision-Making Patterns
UI: visualizations, dashboards, no-code querying
How do we get the data into the system?
Extra features: statistical and geospatial analysis
Can we trust the data in the system?
Are decision-makers using the data?
Operational Decision-Making
The problem: cholera epidemic in Beira, Mozambique after a 2019 cyclone. After a successful vaccination campaign, there are still a few cases per day. The National Health Institute needs a targeted approach to control the last cases.
Proposed solution: a case management app that receives alerts for new cholera cases.
Operational Decision-Making Apps
COVID contact tracing
Volunteer management after a natural disaster
Disease surveillance system
Project and task management
Operational Decision-Making Patterns
UI: explore metadata of a case, explore related objects, track status, assign to a user
What is your unit of analysis?
Extra features: comments, document upload, collaboration
How do you manage permissions and data sharing?
Technical Challenges
Data Collection
How do you change the way users collect data based on their environment?
Technical Challenges
Data Integration
Real world data is messy. How do you get it all in one place?
Technical Challenges
Data Quality
Can the user trust in the data in your system? Is the data complete, accurate, timely?
Technical Challenges
Data Analysis
How can the user learn from the data? Data visualization is not enough.
Technical Challenges
Data Sharing and Security
Are you protecting sensitive data? How do you share data but still protect privacy?
Technical Challenges
Usability and Accessibility
What is your user’s level of technical competence? What languages do they speak? What accessibility needs to they have?
Technical Challenges
Final Reminders
How will you demonstrate impact?
Don’t just build and forget. Aim for high accountability.
Final Reminders
Is your software actually needed?
Talk to your users. Talk to the target impact group or representatives.
Final Reminders
Put your tech preferences aside.
The best solution isn’t always the most technical.
Final Reminders
Build with your partners.
We are not saviors. Learn all you can. Rely on your partners and domain experts.
Final Reminders
This is a beautiful career.
Final Reminders
Help build the world we deserve.
Help build the world we deserve.
pablowritescode@gmail.com
@PabloSarmiento