How to Turn Field Reports Into Campaign Decisions

Campaigns collect a lot of information: ward reports, WhatsApp updates, rally crowds and supporter lists. Most of it is never used. Here is how to turn it into decisions about where the candidate goes and where the money is spent.

Start with the decision

Don’t collect data just because it is easy to count. Start with a decision. Where should the candidate spend next week? Which ward needs more mobilisers? Which issue needs a response?

Then ask what information you need for that decision. That keeps field forms short, and field teams actually fill them in.

Before adding a question to a field form, ask

Use past results and registration numbers

Start with the facts you already have: IEBC results by polling station from the last election, and registered voters in each ward. They show your strongholds, your battlegrounds and where turnout was low.

Different wards need different plans. In a ward where you are strong but turnout is low, focus on getting your supporters to vote. In a close ward, focus on winning people over.

Get context, not just totals

A number without context can mislead. “30 contacts” doesn’t tell you whether they were new people, repeat visits or calls nobody answered.

Crowd size is not votes. The same people attend many rallies, and some crowds are paid to attend. A small meeting that produces 40 committed names may be worth more than a big rally.

Record what was tried and what worked as separate things, so an attempted visit is not counted as a successful one.

Be clear about how sure you are

Label where information comes from: something your team saw, a coordinator’s opinion, an opinion poll or a rumour. They carry different weight.

Check before acting on surprising reports, especially ones from social media or anonymous sources.

Keep people in charge of decisions. Data helps, but the campaign team decides and owns the result.

Check whether it worked

After each decision, check what happened. Did the team go to the ward? Did turnout at events improve? Did new supporters sign up? Or was the original report wrong?

Review this every week with ward coordinators. If two teams are responding to the same problem separately, you need clearer ownership, not more reports. UshindiOS Campaign Intelligence connects field reports, ward context and past results so your team can see what is happening and where it came from.

Every week, ask