Data in the First Mile: The case for Shreddr and paper-based data collection (UC Berkeley)

Local, community-based service agencies in developing countries are increasingly attempting to collect data in order to measure the social impact of their work in areas such as education, healthcare and infrastructure development. Several institutional, technological and cultural
barriers remain to achieving success in such data-collection attempts, however. Shreddr is a low-cost, on-demand data digitization program that will bridge these barriers. The program helps individuals and organizations quickly transform stacks of paper into usable data, with minimal additional investment in technology, training, or staffing. By increasing the availability of high-quality data, Shreddr aims to improve service provision in developing countries.