Assignment Name: Design and Delivery of Capacity Building Programme for Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Officials

Country: Bangladesh

Client Name: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) is the central agency mandated to produce, coordinate, and disseminate official statistics across all sectors of the country. In the context of Bangladesh’s LDC graduation and growing emphasis on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there is a pressing demand for high-quality, timely, and disaggregated data that can inform national planning, policy formulation, and development decision-making.

While BBS has long-standing expertise in large-scale survey design and data collection, institutional challenges remain in extracting actionable insights, applying modern analytical techniques, and communicating evidence in ways that are accessible and useful for policymakers and the wider governance ecosystem. To address these challenges, the UNDP Strengthening Institutions, Policies and Services (SIPS) Project—with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)—has initiated a comprehensive capacity-building programme for BBS.

Under this programme, DM WATCH LIMITED, in Joint Venture with Geo-Planning for Advanced Development (GPAD), has been contracted to design and deliver a structured training programme for BBS officials. The assignment will strengthen analytical and policy communication capacities through four thematic modules:

1. Data Visualization and Communication – introducing Excel, Stata, R, Power BI, and Canva for developing charts, dashboards, infographics, and data stories tailored for policy audiences.
2. Quantitative Policy Analysis – strengthening skills in regression, diagnostics, and policy simulations using real datasets (e.g., HIES, Governance Perception Survey) to generate actionable insights.
3. Qualitative Data Analysis – training on tools such as FGDs, KIIs, IDIs, and case studies, combined with NVivo-based coding, thematic analysis, and integration of qualitative insights with quantitative findings.
4. Policy Brief Development – guiding participants to produce concise, evidence-based, and data-driven policy briefs, with structured peer review and presentation of outputs.

The ultimate objective is to enable BBS officials to conduct high-quality mixed-methods analysis and transform data into impactful, evidence-driven policy outputs. This programme will contribute to repositioning BBS as not only the national custodian of data but also a trusted knowledge partner in shaping Bangladesh’s policy and governance landscape.

The programme will be delivered through 40 in-person training sessions over 20 weeks, supported by a toolkit of guides, templates, sample datasets, and software resources. Interactive approaches—including group work, peer feedback, mentoring, and applied assignments—will ensure practical skill development. By the end of the programme, participants will be equipped to conduct advanced quantitative and qualitative analyses, create interactive dashboards and compelling data visualizations, and develop professional policy briefs aligned with international standards.

The assignment also incorporates a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) framework to measure learning outcomes. This includes baseline assessments, ongoing participation tracking, a final assessment, review of policy brief outputs, and a three-month follow-up survey to evaluate retention and real-world application.

In addition, the team will maintain close coordination with UNDP and BBS, providing monthly progress updates, a final completion report, and training documentation. The programme will conclude with a closing event, showcasing selected outputs and recognizing participant achievements.

Through this initiative, DM WATCH LIMITED will support BBS in building a cadre of officials with the technical expertise and communication skills required to transform statistical data into actionable, evidence-based policy guidance for Bangladesh’s development agenda.

DM WATCH LIMITED, in Joint Venture with GPAD, will design and deliver the full capacity-building programme for BBS officials through a structured, multi-phase approach. The services to be provided include:

Inception and Training Design

• Conduct inception meetings with UNDP and BBS to refine objectives, finalize scope, and align expectations.
• Prepare an Inception Report outlining training modules, delivery schedules, participant engagement strategies, assessment frameworks, and resource requirements.
• Develop training tools and materials in both Bangla and English, ensuring accessibility and institutional relevance.

Development of Training Modules

• Design four customized training modules—Data Visualization and Communication, Quantitative Policy Analysis, Qualitative Data Analysis, and Policy Brief Development—integrating real BBS datasets such as the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) and Governance Perception Survey.
• Prepare a comprehensive training toolkit, including step-by-step guides, templates, manuals, sample datasets, and software resources (Excel, Stata, R, Power BI, Canva, NVivo).
• Ensure modules emphasize hands-on practice, visual storytelling, integration of quantitative and qualitative findings, and actionable insights for policy audiences.

Training Delivery

• Deliver 40 in-person sessions over 20 weeks, with two sessions per week (1.5–2 hours each), facilitated by expert trainers.
• Apply adult-learning methodologies, combining lectures, demonstrations, group work, peer reviews, and interactive exercises.
• Provide continuous mentoring and assignment guidance, enabling participants to translate learning into practical outputs such as dashboards, data analyses, and policy briefs.
• Ensure gender-sensitive facilitation and inclusion of diverse participants.

Participant Engagement and Applied Learning

• Organize peer learning activities, group assignments, and presentation sessions to encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Provide one-on-one mentorship where needed to address individual learning gaps.
• Guide participants through the full cycle of producing evidence-based policy briefs, from conceptualization and analysis to writing, peer review, and presentation.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) Framework

Implement a structured KAP framework to measure training effectiveness:

• Pre-training baseline assessment to gauge participant skills and knowledge.
• Ongoing participation logs and assignment reviews to track progress.
• Final post-training assessment to measure improvements in analytical, visualization, and policy communication skills.
• Policy brief review to assess participants’ ability to apply new tools in producing high-quality outputs.
• Three-month follow-up survey to evaluate retention and real-world application of skills.

Coordination and Reporting

• Maintain continuous coordination with UNDP and BBS focal points, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and smooth delivery.
• Submit monthly progress updates, highlighting achievements, challenges, and adaptive measures.
• Deliver a comprehensive Final Completion Report, compiling training outputs, assessment results, participant feedback, and lessons learned.
• Provide all training documentation, including toolkits, datasets, learning records, and participant outputs, for institutional use by BBS.

Closing Event and Knowledge Sharing

• Organize a closing ceremony in collaboration with UNDP and BBS, featuring recognition of participants, reflection on learning outcomes, and presentation of selected policy briefs and data visualization products.
• Produce a short video documentary (2–3 minutes) showcasing the training process, key outputs, and participant experiences, serving as a communication product for UNDP and BBS.

Through these services, DM WATCH LIMITED will ensure that BBS officials acquire advanced skills in quantitative and qualitative analysis, data visualization, and evidence-based policy communication, thereby enhancing the Bureau’s role as the custodian of official statistics and a trusted knowledge partner in Bangladesh’s policy landscape.