Dear Members,

I am happy to share that our paper (with Claire Furlong and Damir Brdjanovic) on the  Usage and impact of sanitation tools  was finally published. It's open access so feel free to download, read, and share widely.  I hope his research ignites meaningful discussions.

Regards
Ann 

The following information is added by the moderator (PCP)

Title: Exploring the usage and impact of urban sanitation tools targeting low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Claire Furlong, Ann Mugendi, Damir Brdjanovic
Publication: Frontiers in Environmental Science (2023)

Abstract:
Background: In recent years the number of tools developed to help advance sustainable urban sanitation coverage in low- and middle-income countries has increased significantly, yet no study has been undertaken to determine their usage or impact. This paper explores the usage and impact of four urban sanitation tools: Shit flow Diagram (SFD), City Service Delivery Assessment (CSDA), SaniPath, and the Citywide Planning Tool.
Methods: A mixed methodology approach was used which included a questionnaire (n = 87) and interviewing the tools developers (n = 5) and users (n = 25).
Results and discussion: There was a high awareness of three of the tools (86%, n = 87), but relatively low usage (53%, n = 87). The questionnaire respondents and interviewees confused the Citywide Planning Tool with other tools, so no usage was found. The CSDA and SaniPath were being used beyond the groups that developed them and by their targeted group, but the main users were found to be researchers in academia. There was evidence that SFDs and CSDAs were evolving beyond their original scope, which was attributed to their use in academia. Their use in academia should not be dismissed as they may lead to future usage and impact. Although impact will take time and it is difficult to directly attribute impact to a specific tool, evidence of the impact of the SFD and SaniPath was found. This impact demonstrates how these tools can lead to improvements in urban sanitation. This study also highlights the need for further research into the drivers of tool usage

Dear Members,

A little bit late, but I'm happy to inform you that my research on the usage and impact of urban sanitation tools in LMIC was a success.
The following are some of the findings:

• Researchers in academia are the main users of the tools.
• High awareness and usage of the SFD tool were attributed to the ongoing promotion activities.
• No users were found for the Citywide Planning Tool.
• Usage of SFD and CDSA tools has evolved beyond their original scope.
• Evidence of the impact of the SFD and SaniPath was found.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this research.

Dear Members,

Am happy to let you know that I have decided to extend the closing date of my survey on urban sanitation tools for 1 more week. So far I have received 14 responses from this platform and majority of them were SFD tool users. I am still looking for CSDA , SaniPath and Citywide Planning tool(under the FSM toolbox planning tool) users. 
Kindly use this link to participate in the survey if you have not.
www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z75FZ7C
Also feel free to share the link with others in the urban sanitation sector.

Thankyou in advance.
Ann

Dear members,

This is some additional information about the survey am currently conducting to inform my thesis research on the usage and  global impact of selected current urban sanitation tools.
The tools am interested in are the following: Shit flow diagram(SFD), City Service Delivery Assessment tool(CSDA), Sanipath and Citywide Planning tool-under FSM toolbox. You can use the following links to learn more on the tools .  sfd.susana.org/ incsanprac.com/tools.html#CSDA  www.sanipath.net/   www.fsmtoolbox.com/planning  

The survey am conducting will attempt to answer who are the users of the tools, the usage of the tool, the usage of the tool results, user experience, challenges of using these tools, publication of the results and the impact of using the tool. Kindly note that the survey  will end on 03/09/2021,so please  share you opinion using the survey link below.

www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z75FZ7C

You can reach me at amu005@un-ihe if you are willing to share your experience with any of the tools through a short interview. 

Regards,
Ann

Hi Paresh,
Thank you for your suggestions, that was helpful. I will add these details  in my previous post.

Regards,
Ann

Dear Ann,
It will be helpful if you tell the members what questions you are attempting to answer through your research and the tools that are of your  interest. It will also be helpful to provide links to these tools for members who may not have used them. You could also add the date till which this survey is open.

Towards the end, the survey asks if the participant is willing to be contacted for interview. Are you open to interviewing people without taking the survey? If yes, how can they get in touch with you?

Regards
paresh

Dear all, kindly note I have limited time to conduct my research, so please participate in this survey if you have not. Your opinion is important. Thankyou.

www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z75FZ7C

Dear colleagues, am currently conducting my masters thesis research  on the usage and the global impact of selected urban sanitation tools. I have developed a survey tool to inform my research. I invite you to participate in this survey by using this link below . You feedback is important. Thankyou in advance.

www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z75FZ7C

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Added by moderator: Intro text of the survey:

Sanitation Tools Survey
Welcome to My Survey
As a requirement for MSc Sanitation program at IHE Delft, I am currently conducting my  master's research in conjunction with the the FSM Alliance. This survey is designed to collect data to inform my research on selected urban sanitation tools' usage and global impact. The data collected will be used for research purposes and possibly to publish a journal paper. The researcher will ensure confidentiality of the data collected and anonymity of the sources. This survey will take approximately 20 minutes.