Advanced analytics allow organisations to analyse their data by combining information on past circumstances, present events, and projected future actions to gain a complete view of their operations. Socaba utilises advanced analytics at various decision points to ensure accurate, timely, and effective results incorporating the requested preferences and addressing priorities. We combine data on past circumstances, present events, and projected future actions to gain a deeper understanding of how decision-making can be optimised.

Socaba’s advanced analytics services for clients include:

• Use of advanced analytics to support clients’ decision-making processes and improve operational effectiveness
• Provision of assistance to organisations in their development of advanced analytics capabilities, including predictive modelling, customer segmentation, experimental design, and pricing optimisation
• Expert advice to gain a deeper understanding of clients’ productivity through data visualisation

In Focus: Annual Assessments of the work of the Office of the Quartet Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Socaba established a data-rich framework for performance (quantitative and qualitative) that helped assess the implications of regional unrest as well as domestic and local conditions that may hinder or facilitate the impact of the OQR.

In Focus: Designing Five-Year Governance Program for Somalia

Socaba lead the evaluation and design process for a new five-year UN governance programme. The programme included local governance, parliamentary strengthening, public administrative reform and a range of other state-building efforts – in particular seeking to strengthen state-society relations.

Capacity Building

Capacity building is the process by which individuals and organisations obtain, improve, and retain the skills, knowledge, tools, equipment and other resources needed to do their jobs competently or to a greater capacity. Socaba applies capacity building tools by assisting our clients’ own priorities for development and make them an integral part of their implementation plans. We deliver tangible results for economic prosperity, social inclusiveness and political stability through building long-term economic, social and political institutions.

Socaba’s capacity building services for clients include:

• Assistance on performance-based management, including strategic planning, human resource and project management
• Evaluation of organisational projects, organisational change and development, re-structuring and executive management development
• Targeted support for achieving knowledge outcomes and while building on existing organisational structures

Mediation is a mode of negotiation in which a third party is invited to help the disputing parties to find a solution, which they cannot find by themselves. Socaba contributes to empowerment and the development of mediation competencies through workshops, trainings and coaching, and support for the development of sustainable mediation structures at the political level.

Socaba’ s convening and mediation services for clients include:

• Management, assessment and training of mediators and their teams. All team members should understand the respective conflict sensitive dimensions within their areas of expertise
• Use of confidence-building measures at different points to build trust between the conflicting parties and between the mediator and the parties
• Development of mechanisms to broaden participation in mediation processes, and to engage stakeholders throughout the various phases of the conflict resolution process

In Focus: Mediation and Cultural Awareness Training

Over 2-year period, designed and delivered eight mediation training modules on mediation and cultural awareness for the European Commission Civil Protection Mechanism, thereby preparing a European cadre of disaster response specialists to deploy in crisis environments. Topics included: gender and power awareness, perception and selection bias, compensating spoilers and empowering losers, and transforming enemies into allies.

In Focus: Evaluation of EU-funded Social Inclusion Actions in Serbia

The evaluation assessed the EU’s projects and programmes which sought to promote the social inclusion of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups through the provision of sustainable community-based social services, improve the position of Roma people through social inclusion activities, and encourage inter-municipal cooperation across Serbia.

Monitoring & Evaluation

Monitoring and Evaluation is a process that may improve performance and achieve results. Its aim is to improve current and future management of outputs, outcomes, sustainability, efficiency and impact of projects. Socaba offers monitoring and evaluation of humanitarian aid, technical assistance and training programmes. Our services are specialised in real-time, system-wide, impact, policy and programme evaluations. We address societal issues, gaps, needs and limitations by combining desk and field research, and participatory methods to identity strengths and weaknesses. Our expertise in monitoring and evaluation promotes the humanitarian sector to respond to crises through learning and strengthening accountability.

Socaba’ s monitoring and evaluation services to clients include:

• Delivery of evaluations that supports international organisations and governments, including evaluation of performance, objectives, aims, sustainability, relevance and cost effectiveness
• Design and investment in programmes that address stakeholders’ objectives through collection of data and analysis of information before, during and after programme implementation
• Support in assessing programme impact through independent monitoring and evaluation

Project management is the practice of initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the work of a team to successfully achieve the objectives for a project. Socaba offers a variety of services and practices within project management. These include, basic management services through project coordination as well as administrative services including arranging conferences, accounting, and transport logistics of projects.

Socaba’ s project management practices provide three services to clients:

• Deliverance on project designs, results-based planning and reporting systems through logical framework analysis
• Briefings, orientations and team building workshops and training of trainers
• Project financial management, technical assistance, logistics, backstopping and quality control during all the project stages

In Focus: Evaluation of the United Kingdom’s Migration Fund

Socaba lead the cost-benefit analysis of the UK Returns and Reintegration Fund, involving four country visits and in-depth studies of eight partner countries, for a total of 181 projects (€70m annual budget). The evaluation included the assessment of fund management structures, logistics, communications and relations between HQ and the field missions. The resulting value-for-money calculations provided basis for dialogues that facilitated common understanding among four ministers (FCO, DFID, Home, Justice).

In Focus: Strategic Mid-term Evaluation of the EUTF Madad

Providing evidence for the multi-stakeholder Trust Fund to make strategic decisions on governance and programming for €1.3bn instrument. Assessing coherence across EU instruments addressing the Syria situation and examining MS support for EU-managed governance structures for the Fund.

Strategy & Policy

Strategy and policy guidance is the management of assisting organisation’s statement of choices in its operating environment. For example, the guidance of a public or non-profit agency’s choice of society’s problems to address through public services. Socaba provides expertise on clear strategy and policy guidance that is implementable and reflects the objectives of the client. Our services ensure clear guidance that accommodates the policy environment. We assist in establishing coherent organisational strategies and policies that aims for coherence.

Socaba’ s strategy and policy guidance practices provide three services to clients:

• Support in strategy and policy making that promotes consistency, logic, flexibility and provides a guide for thinking in future planning and action
• Support in making policies and strategies that can be periodically reviewed to see if they should be modified, changed or abandoned
• Promotes policies that are altruistic and benefits the interests of societies in general