In this period of unprecedented events from the Covid-19 pandemic to climate upheaval, we decided it was appropriate to look at the positive side of our humanity collective endeavor to erase disparities, embrace diversity and address the complex problems of our time by looking at what is working against the odds. The Positive Deviance approach does that in a powerful way.
For those eager to use or curious to explore the many faces of the powerful and transformative Positive Deviance approach, you will find that the following case studies and publications contain the many ways and sectors this approach has been applied.
Featured Publications:
Positive Deviance: A Data-Powered Approach to the Covid-19 Response
By: Richard Heeks and Basma Albanna, Centre for Digital Development, University of Manchester
Nations around the world are struggling with their response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, they seek guidance on what works best in terms of preventive measures, treatments, and public health, economic and other policies. Can we use the novel approach of data-powered positive deviance to improve the guidance being offered?
Positive Deviance: Positive Outliers Matter
By: Jeremy Boy, Data Scientist, UNDP Accelerator Labs together with Andreas Gluecker, Project Manager, GIZ Data Lab
Together with the UNDP Accelerator Labs and GIZ projects in Ecuador, Mexico, Niger, and Somalia/ Somaliland, we are using combinations of administrative data, satellite imagery, urban data, social media data, and mobility data to identify positive deviants in such diverse contexts as the borders of the Amazon forest, public spaces in Mexico City, and pastoralist villages in Somaliland. Our goal is to identify locally-developed and well-adapted solutions that can help broader communities overcome the development challenges they face.
By: Lindsay Steele, Emma Orefuwa, Silvia Bino
Infectious disease outbreaks can have significant impact on individual health, national economies, and social well-being. Through early detection of an infectious disease, the outbreak can be contained at the local level, thereby reducing adverse effects on populations. However, current evaluation methods do not provide evidence-based suggestions or measurements on how to detect outbreaks earlier. Key conditions for earlier detection and their influencing factors remain unclear and unmeasured. Our analyses suggest that governance is the most important condition for earlier detection in both regions. Facilitating factors for earlier detection are risk communication activities such as information sharing, communication, and collaboration activities. Impeding factors are lack of communication, coordination, and leadership.
Positive Deviance for Dual-Method Promotion among Women in Uganda: A Qualitative Study
By: Hodaka Kosugi, Akira Shibanuma, Junko Kiriya, Ken Ing Cherng Ong, Stephen Mucunguzi, Conrad Muzoora, and Masamine Jimba
Dual-method use is the most reliable form of protection against unintended pregnancies and human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted infections (HIV/STIs). Although dual-method use remains uncommon among women in stable relationships, some women do practice it. In this study, we explored the barriers that make dual-method use rare and the behaviors of women who practice dual-method use using a positive deviance framework in Uganda.
Researchers use the Positive Deviance approach to try to find out which conditions and circumstances in life stories of young people from marginalized Roma communities (MRC) are supportive and lead to success in formal education.