The Humanitarian Lessons-learned Genome Project 1.0: Facilitating the full use of evaluative processes in the humanitarian sector

This case study explores the development and implementation of the Humanitarian Genome Project, an innovation arising in the University of Groningen and developed in collaboration with humanitarian agencies.

Humanitarian agencies spend millions of pounds each year evaluating emergency response programmes, yet the sector continues to be criticised for repeatedly making the same errors and for failing to assimilate lessons from evaluations. In this context, the Humanitarian Genome 1.0 was designed as the first version of a free, digital, open source and globally accessible application allowing humanitarian workers to quickly access evaluation data to inform their decision making.

This is one of 15 case studies exploring the dynamics of successful innovation processes in humanitarian action. The case studies examine what good practice in humanitarian innovation looks like, what approaches and tools organisations have used to innovate in the humanitarian system, what the barriers to innovation are for individual organisations, and how they can be overcome. The case studies are synthesised in the summary report, 'More than just luck: Innovations in humanitarian action'.