agile, mission model, corporate innovation, customer development, h4d,h4dip, hacking for diplomacy, lean, lean launchpad, lean startup, stanford, steve blank, state department

1. Hacking for Peacekeeping (H4P)
Christos Makridis, Shira McKinlay, Amanda Parker
In collaboration with
The Bureau of Political Military Affairs
96 Interviews
with academics, government officials and peacekeeping professionals
“Assessing the
effectiveness of
peacekeeping
forces”
“Assessing the
effectiveness of
peacekeeping support
programs and enabling
such assessment”

2. Christos Makridis Shira McKinlay Amanda Parker
Degree Program:
PhD, MS, Economics
PhD, Management
Science and Engineering
MA, Advanced
International Studies
MA, African Studies
Expertise:
Data science & statistics Legal & compliance Security assistance &
cooperation
Hacking 4 Peacekeeping (H4P): The Team

3. Scope of the Problem
Over 16 peacekeeping missions ongoing
US spends over $2B/year on peacekeeping
worldwide
Currently no viable way to measure the effects
of that money

4. 1 10Week
Step 1: Who is involved?
Total
Interviews
11
“Let me send an email to all
the stakeholders and get
back to you next week.”
A.G., IO Bureau
Who is involved? What Metrics should
we use?
How do we obtain the
data?
What do the policy
makers need?
Buy In?
21 34 9651 65 76 8641

5. Peacekeeping Issues;
PeaceStar standardization;
Happy customer

6. 3
Must create standard metrics
“Those are the metrics we really need; the ones
that allow us to best evaluate self-sufficiency, as
well as human rights issues.”
D.B., Lt.Col. Air Force
Week
Step 2: Determine Metrics of Effectiveness
10
Total
Interviews
11 21 34
How to assess the
effectiveness of
How do we obtain the
data?
What do the policy
makers need?
Buy In?
9651 65 76 8641
What Metrics should
we use?

7. MVP - Sample Metrics
i

8. “It’s not that data isn’t being collected, it's just ad hoc”.
-J.M., Former Peacekeeping trainer
Week
Step 3: Determine the Data Source
10
Total
Interviews
11 21 34 41
Must determine where
the data will come from.
4
How to assess the
effectiveness of
What Metrics should
we use?
How do we obtain the
data?
What do the policy
makers need?
Buy in?
9651 65 76 86

9. Problematic Data Flow
“Information
Please!”

10. “That sounds freaking Awesome!”
T.L., Pol-Mil Bureau
Week
Step 4: Aggregate, Analyze, and Deliver Data.
10
Total
Interviews
21 34 41 9651 65
Need a mobile or
web application
11 76 86
5
What do the
policymakers need?
6
Who is involved? What Metrics should
we use?
How do we obtain the
data?
Buy in?

11. PeaceStar Mobile

12. How It Works

13. Peacekeeping Issues;
PeaceStar standardization;
Happy customer
Incentives for Use

15. PeaceStar Report

16. 8
“We’ll send this idea around.”
D.B., Lt.Col. Air Force
Week
Step 5: Achieve Buy-In from Key Stakeholders
10
Total
Interviews
21 34 41 9651 6511 76 86
How to assess the
effectiveness of
What Metrics should
we use?
How do we obtain the
data?
What do the policy
makers need?
Buy in?

17. 1 4 6 8
“That sounds freaking Awesome!”
T. L., Pol-Mil Bureau
Must create
standard metrics
Week
The Evolution of the Problem
Need a mobile or
web application
53
Must determine
where the data
will come from.
10
Who is involved? What metrics should
we use?
How do we obtain the
data?
What do the policy
makers need?
How do we
Implement?
“We will send this idea around.”
D.B., Lt. Col. Air Force

18. Impacts of PeaceStar
• Better reports better decision-making and
appropriate resource allocation
• Better decision-making and resource allocation
better training
• Better training better trained troops and
expanded partner capacity
• Result: Peacekeeping is more effective

19. Where do we go from here?
We have a happy customer
They are committed to move it forward

20. Continuous Interactive Dialogue with the sponsor.
Solution could not have been found without talking to
such a large variety of people.
No big pivots, but a product that makes our sponsor
happy and is ready to implement the solution.
Our Biggest Learning Experience
Peacekeeping Issues;
PeaceStar standardization;
Happy Customer