Working on common operational datasets (CODs) can be a time-consuming activity, so developing a clear plan with a detailed goal can help everyone focus their limited time and resources. Before undertaking any COD related activity first develop a clear goal (SMART - specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound). Once clear goals and objectives are identified with partners (IM Network) work can begin on the identification of sources and datasets.

Relationships are a key part of the COD cycle and are just as important and the datasets. IM Network partners should work together to develop their plan for all CODs including prioritization of datasets. Partners are also vital for understanding the intricacies of various datasets and government agencies.

Purpose of a COD Work Plan

A COD work plan is a project management tool to help organize and coordinate the multiple work streams related to CODs. It identifies data needs and allows all partners to work together in a coordinated manner to acquire the prioritized dataset required for a specific type of humanitarian response.

Why create a COD Work Plan

1) organize work: plan project; consolidate information about the process; maintain status of progress
2) coordinate COD efforts: identify data needs; share information about work with partners; collect information from partners

When to create a COD Work Plan
Ideally an assessment of data requirements should take place as a preparedness activity for countries identified as vulnerable to natural disaster or complex emergencies. 
A good time to do this is before the HNO process begins.
If this did not take place prior to an emergency, the following methodology for data review is valid during the onset of a crisis. 

Who creates a COD Work Plan

The COD Work plan can be initially populated with the current available datasets by OCHA. The IM Network must contribute, as they can identify datasets and provide cluster / sectoral expertise on themes that may be required. 

Steps to creating a COD Work Plan

1. Identify the list of potential risks and hazards for the country you are preparing for (or if in an emergency consider that disaster type); link to ERP
2. Download the COD Plan Template.xlsx
3. Examine the Ideas for Natural Disasters and Ideas for Complex Emergencies section for suggestions of datasets that may be required
4. Compile an inventory (name of dataset and metadata) of datasets / CODs currently available from:
1. HDX: retrieve the list of sub-national datasets and metadata 
2. Other locations (e.g., Dropbox, office computers, etc.) where data / CODs are stored
5. Add to the inventory datasets that may be required based on the disaster type
6. Share with the IM Network. Hold a meeting specifically about this work plan
1. Prioritize datasets based on time/effort and need
2. Ask partners to populated what they know (reaching out to their networks for data)
7.  IM network should endorse the work plan and the data themes/guardians into an IMWG COD Agreement Template (for ICCG, HC endorsement)
8. Get endorsement from the ICCG, HC/RC (provide them with the  IMWG COD Agreement Template (for ICCG, HC endorsement))
9. Revisit this work plan yearly and use it as a data needs and status guide both in preparedness and response.

Tips

• Start populating the work plan prior to sharing with partners 
• Share with partners as soon as possible (they have valuable information and insight about datasets)
• Make the work plan online for easy collaboration
• Ask partners to check with their colleagues and HQ level as datasets can be found everywhere
• In a big emergency think outside the box and share with Global level IMWG, the Inter-Agency Skype Group, OCHA IMO Skype group (datasets can be found all over)
• Be realistic about what datasets are required and the time and effort required to acquire them
• Consider geographic scope:  to what administrative level is needed, is the whole country needed, or just a section of it based on the affected area.
• Consider having a specific IMWG GIS meeting to discuss spatial data
• Consider the datasets (especially demographic data) that are exposed during the Secondary Data Review at the beginning of an emergency
• The plan and agreement should be a much light process after created the first time as it should just be reviewing the metadata.
• Ask HDX for a "metadata dump" of your country's CODs so most of the metadata is already available for the data plan

Resources

• COD Work Plan Template.xlsx
• COD data Plan Template Example.xls  / COD data plan template WFP / OCHA / MapAction
• Data prioritization tool (from UNHCR)
• COD Agreement Template (created by IM network and to be used for endorsement for HC/RC/Etc.)

• Steps for acquiring list and metadata of datasets available on HDX (HDX to supply this)