What Happens When You Move MEL From Paper to Digital? With Hannah Wichmann of Five Talents UK
February 19, 2026
#20 MEL Digital Transformation | In this episode of Survey & Beyond: The Data Collection Podcast, host Marta Costa sits down with Hannah Wichmann, a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist at Five Talents UK. Together, they explore how data collection, when done correctly, fosters trust, transparency, and transformation.
In this episode of Survey & Beyond: The Data Collection Podcast, host Marta Costa sits down with Hannah Wichmann, a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist at Five Talents UK. Together, they explore how data collection, when done correctly, fosters trust, transparency, and transformation.
What You’ll Learn:
- How to design MEL systems that honor participatory principles
- Why observation and qualitative data are equally valuable as quantitative metrics
- How to maximise existing data by storing it digitally
- How to transition from paper to digital without mandating change
- Group-led data analysis keeps ownership within communities
- How to balance donor interests with community needs
Hannah Wichmann is a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist at Five Talents UK, bringing over a decade of hands-on experience in digitizing MEL systems across East and Central Africa. With a background in microfinance and community development, Hannah has spearheaded the organisation's three-year digital transformation strategy, shifting from paper-based data collection to sustainable digital workflows that center community voices and actionable insights. Her work has redefined what it means to make data local, meaningful, and human-centered, helping organizations move from compliance-driven monitoring to learning-focused partnerships.
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Episode Resources:
Episode Chapters:
- 0:00 Intro
- 01:25 Hannah’s Path Into MEL
- 02:45 Five Talents in 60 Seconds
- 03:33 The 3 Pillars of the 3-Year MEL Strategy
- 05:33 Building a Learning Culture
- 10:23 Theory of Change as a Discovery Tool
- 12:20 Paper’s Hidden Cost: You Can’t Go Back
- 13:58 Piloting During the Pandemic
- 16:56 Adoption Without Mandates
- 20:48 The Frying Pan Problem
- 23:37 Digitization Forces Better Questions
- 25:35 A Short Survey, Massive Insight
- 29:20 Keeping Data with Communities
- 33:07 Practical Advice for Small Organisations
Survey & Beyond: The Data Collection Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
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