From our first meeting and initial presentations, Goondoi have been enthusiastic to implement their own Information Management System as the first outcome of the project.
As such, after gathering an understanding of their existing datasets, information management workflows and practices, and cultural knowledge protocols, we implemented and configured the Goondoi Arts Information Management System (GAIMS).
For now, GAIMS enables Goondoi to record and connect a variety of cultural information (sites, language, stories, songs, clan areas, people, families), environmental information (plants, animals, weeds, feral animals, bush tucker), monitoring data (monitoring sites, monitoring activities, water monitoring records) and organisational data (events, documents, funding sources, contracts, work plans). These features and functions will be expanded over the course of the project but for now serve Goondoi’s fundamental data management needs.
The take-up of GAIMS has been fantastic! Within two weeks of implementation, Goondoi (mainly through the work of Kishaun) have recorded 11 traditional places, 10 cultural sites, 209 language records, 15 plant species, 10 monitoring sites, as well as several other cultural record types (community events, stories etc.).
This early engagement and use of GAIMS might seem peripheral to the MER-focus of this Pilot, but it is not. GAIMS will become a vital tool for undertaking each part of the MER program, from planning monitoring work through to reporting indicator evaluations. The more that GAIMS is used early on, the more powerful it becomes – because those using it are competent to and the more information it contains, the more data can be drawn from.
Learning note:
Goondoi had never considered the possibility and power of having all of its information recorded, stored and linked in the one place. Although there is a long way to go in terms of realising its full potential, GAIMS has already added a sense of purpose to data collection and management.
In terms of this Pilot, implementing and developing such information management tools for TO groups should be considered a very positive empowerment outcome, in that it enables them control all of their information - not just data that relates to monitoring and evaluation.
Next step:
Several steps lay ahead to continually refine and populate of GAIMS, especially in terms of its developing potential to coordinate and execute Goondoi’s MER program. These will be the focus of future Blog posts – so stay tuned!