Simple maps for programme planning

Why use maps in programme planning?

Many programme decisions are about place. Which villages get the next distribution? Where do two partners overlap? Which areas has nobody reached? A table of village names can hold the answer, but a map makes it visible in seconds.

A map also helps a team agree. When staff, partners and community leaders look at the same picture, discussions about coverage and priorities become easier. You do not need a GIS officer to start. You need a clear question and a tidy list of locations.

What is a programme map made of?

Every map is a stack of layers. According to MapAction's field guide, a map is made by combining spatial data layers to show the information you want. For programme planning, three layers matter most:

• Base layer: administrative boundaries (state or region, district, township) and, if useful, roads and rivers.
• Situation data: locations of the people in need, of services and of your own activities. This is the most important layer on an operational map.
• Your programme data: your assessment results, activity list and plans, linked to the same locations.

The key link is a shared place identifier. If your spreadsheet spells a village three different ways, it will not match your partner's list. Use one agreed name or code for each place.

Which tool should you choose?

Not all maps need GIS. A reference guide from MEASURE Evaluation notes that where geographic data such as boundary files are not available, paper maps may be better than GIS. It also lists Google Maps as a basic option and QGIS as a strong open-source alternative.

Choose the simplest tool that answers your question. You can always move up later.

A five-step method for your first map

1. Write the question. For example: "Which townships in our area have no water point repair support?" A map without a question becomes decoration.
2. List the locations. Make a spreadsheet with one row per place: name, code, township, latitude and longitude if you have them, and the data you want to show.
3. Add context. Get boundary files from your coordination group or a public data portal. Confirm the version your partners use.
4. Plot and colour. Show one message per map. Use colour for the main variable, such as people in need or activities completed. Keep the legend short.
5. Check and use. Ask a colleague who knows the area to check for wrong positions. Then use the map in a planning meeting and record the decisions it supports.

MEASURE Evaluation describes four stages in a mapping effort: community engagement, data collection, visualisation, and use of the information. Step 5 above is the last stage. Many teams forget it, and the map is never used.

Collecting location data in the field

If you do not have coordinates, collect them while you collect other data. A phone with GPS can record a point at each site. Our guide on getting started with KoboToolbox explains how to add a location question to a form, and offline mobile data collection covers areas with weak signal.

Rules that keep data usable:

• Take the point at the same spot each time, such as the village meeting place or the clinic door.
• Record the point type: village, school, health post, water point.
• Check accuracy on screen before you save, and repeat the point if it looks wrong.

For planning with a community, hand-drawn maps are also valuable. People draw landmarks, water sources and risks from memory, and their knowledge fills gaps that official data does not cover. See how to run a rapid needs assessment for ways to combine this with other methods.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Mapping everything. A crowded map hides the message. Start with one theme.
• Mixing boundary versions. Old and new township boundaries do not match. Agree one version.
• No data owner. Decide who updates the locations list, and when.
• Ignoring sensitivity. In insecure areas, a detailed map of beneficiary households can put people at risk. Share the least detail needed, and store detailed files with restricted access.
• Making the map once. A map is useful when it is updated. Plan a refresh each month or quarter.

How EMPO can help

EMPO is a trusted, Yangon-based training and consultancy provider and one of Myanmar's leading names in practical NGO training, with 1,200+ people trained and 15 partner organisations. We run training on project management, MEAL and data collection, online over Zoom or in person across Myanmar, in English and Burmese. Our store also has a KoboToolbox XLS forms package for field data collection. See our training services or the KoboToolbox XLS forms package.

Sources

• Field Guide to Humanitarian Mapping — MapAction, 2011
• Mapping Community-Based Global Health Programs: A Reference Guide for Community-Based Practitioners — MEASURE Evaluation, 2014