For empowering technical field teams in humanitarian organisations

Field Team Impact Kit

A low-cost localisation tool

To improve accountability–to people affected by crisis and to donors–field teams in humanitarian organisations need better support.

The Field Team Impact Kit (FieldTiK) is a practical, low-cost tool that helps technical field teams learn from each other and access relevant, hands-on resources, to develop effective, context-appropriate practices – strengthening an organisation’s response.

Described as “a shortcut to 20 years’ experience of team management,” FieldTiK draws on global good practice and real-world field insights. It’s been created by a humanitarian, for humanitarians.

Stronger teams = Better outcomes

The field team, displayed as a ball, progressing through the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle to improve outcomes and roll up a continuous improvement slope towards best fit. With a wedge to capture knowledge, so improvements aren’t lost.

Challenges facing field teams

  • Tough environment

    More devolved decision-making
    (less ‘command-and-control’) than in other emergency services. Field teams operate semi-autonomously.

    Dual accountability
    to people affected by disaster and donors, generally under the leadership of government.

  • Insufficent support for team leaders

    No practical tools

    Team leaders learn from personal experience, not global knowledge sharing.

    Training focuses on individual soft skills, rather than practical guidance and tools for effective team functioning.

  • Lack of resources

    Finding practical relevant resources (on technical and/or cross-cutting issues, such as accountability and inclusion)
    can be difficult.

    Inadequate training, connected only loosely to change in practice.

  • Lack of useful systems at team level

    Teams lack the systems needed to
    adapt and continually improve,
    within and between emergencies,
    as part of a system-wide response.

  • Poor retention of knowledge

    within and between emergencies, due to

    • High turnover of team members

    • Poor team-based
      knowledge management

  • Insufficient support for team well-being

    Low energy and commitment.

    Poor staff retention.

FieldTiK: A step-by-step
process targeting bottlenecks

Actions for teams to follow:

A - Find your gaps | Use the team diagnostic to select the top 1–3 areas to work on

B - Fill your gaps | Follow the examples and resources to develop new team-specific practices

C - Review and improve | Use the reminders and templates to review every 1–3 months

What people are saying…

  • FieldTiK "is the missing element. Ensuring we have a dynamic team of people really working together, that's when we can really make great changes"

    -Global technical specialist

  • "This is very, very useful"

    -National technical specialist

  • "Local NGOs are probably one of the biggest customers"

    -Senior manager, from Global South

  • "Very practical"

    -Local technical specialist

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