Since our last announcement in April, we’ve created an XLSForm tutorial and template, updated Collect to make it more intuitive, added more support for longitudinal data collection in Central, and published helpful success stories from ODK users just like you. We also received a multi-year grant from the Gates Foundation to improve global health data!
XLSForm resources to help you build better forms
It’s hard to believe it’s been 5 months since the ODK Summit! One of the requests from attendees was more learning resources to help new users get started and to help experienced users to get better. To kick start this effort, we’ve created a few resources to help you build better XLSForms:
We are excited to see all the positive feedback so far and we will be creating more tutorials and how-to guides based on that feedback. If you haven't already, please share your feedback.
We regularly post learning resources on our LinkedIn and Twitter feeds. Follow us to get learn how to get the most out of ODK.
Collect: User interface improvements for increased usability
If you're using the latest version of ODK Collect, you may have noticed our new and improved user interface. We've updated the buttons, icons, fonts, and flows to increase data quality while making the app even easier to use.
This effort was the result of lots of user research to ensure we could improve multiple types of workflows without disrupting what you love about Collect.
We’ve updated the screenshots in the Play Store to give you a sense of what's now possible in Collect. Like the changes? Write a (hopefully 5 star) review so others can discover ODK and use it in their work.
Central: More support for dynamic workflows and Single Sign-On
We continue to add new Entities-powered features that let you collect longitudinal data, manage cases over time, and support other dynamic workflows. Watch this quick Introduction to Entities from @LN to see the workflows you can build with ODK Central today.
We've also added Single Sign-On (SSO) support for organizations who want to manage their own authentication. With SSO enabled in Central, you can bring your username, password, and multi-factor auth from Google Workspace, Azure AD, and more.
If you're using ODK Cloud, these improvements are now available. If you aren't using ODK Cloud, consider upgrading your Central install.
Success stories from ODKers just like you
We asked eight ODK users to share their impactful work and explain why they use ODK to collect data. We've published their answers on our website as video success stories and linked them directly below. We think you'll find them informative and inspirational.
Flexible household surveys that never fail (@DaleRhoda)
Understanding how plastic impacts our planet (@TJ_CSIRO)
Mapping the most vulnerable places on the planet (@IvanGayton)
Keeping 1.4 billion people safe from disease (Godwin Ubong Akpan)
Securely collecting clinical study data offline (@Naomi_Waithira )
Scaling up off-grid sanitation (@Spike)
Improving support for people in crisis (@DanBJoseph)
Inclusive farming at incredible scale (@Nicolas_Spoto)
Why I use ODK
Want to watch more ODK videos? Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get access to other success stories, how-to guides, and more.
Gates Foundation grant to improve global health data
ODK has received $3.7M grant from the Gates Foundation! The grant will accelerate ongoing work extending ODK to better support global health workflows with geospatial and longitudinal data.
This grant is only possible because of partners, large and small, who've contributed to ODK over last 15 years. To everyone who has been an ODK champion, thank you!
We have an incredible opportunity to further improve the lives of the billions of people who live in the places where ODK is used. It's an opportunity we're excited to deliver on with you.
See our product roadmap for what’s next!