Synergy International Systems, Inc. was delighted to sponsor and participate in MERL Tech DC 2019, the annual conference dedicated to exploring the role of technology in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning. The conference brought together hundreds of MERL practitioners and technologists to discuss the state and future of this innovative field.
This year’s event marked the first time that one of Synergy’s clients has presented at MERL Tech. Orbis International, a New York-based global NGO dedicated to eye health, uses Synergy’s Indicata software product to manage its portfolio of projects and measure the impact of its work. Orbis and Synergy have been working together for the past two years.
Orbis-Synergy Partnership Presented at MERL Tech DC 2019
At the conference, Arlene Lozano, Director of Monitoring & Evaluation at Orbis, made a presentation about how her team leveraged the implementation of Indicata to bring about broader organizational changes. “No organization has the time and resources to assess and then streamline its project cycle unless its leadership provides the impetus for change,” said Ms. Lozano.
“This is especially true in the case of a global organization like Orbis, with multiple projects spread across the world. In our case, the opportunity came when leadership chose a new enterprise software, Indicata, in an effort to solve all our data management challenges. In reality, Indicata became the catalyst for something far more consequential. It empowered us to elevate the role of M&E from routine compliance work to serving as the engine of organizational innovation and effectiveness. M&E folks are now the ‘cool kids’ at Orbis,” added Ms. Lozano.
Arshak Hovanesian, Synergy’s Director of Business Development, was a member of the conference steering committee and moderated a session where Orbis and Oxfam Great Britain presented their case studies of employing a mix of strategy, change management, and technology to make mission-critical data accessible and actionable.
