InsightStack is a personal response to a recurring problem:
in development work, we talk about knowledge — but rarely structure it.
Reports are scattered, templates are recreated from scratch, and institutional memory is fragile.
This repository is my attempt to change that.
InsightStack is a documentation-first, logic-driven knowledge repository built from years of work across research, evaluation, program design, and policy strategy. It brings together tools, templates, and methods that help answer one core question:
🧩 How do we build systems that learn, instead of start over every time?
| Folder | Description |
|---|---|
observable_notebooks/ |
Interactive data storytelling and dashboards using Observable |
open_data_editor/ |
Drag-and-drop charting with RawGraphs, Datawrapper, and Open Data Editor |
taguette_coding/ |
Qualitative coding projects for FGDs and transcripts |
visual_ethnography_descript/ |
Narrative editing workflows using Descript |
kumu_maps/ |
Systems maps and network diagrams for MEL planning |
stata_snippets/ |
.do scripts for survey weights, DiD, and equity graphs |
excel_visuals/ |
Gantt, waterfall, bullet charts for MEL reporting |
powerbi_reports/ |
Example dashboard .pbix file and visualization |
spss_scripts/ |
.sps syntax for tabulations, recodes, and exports |
flourish_charts/ |
Storytelling dashboards using Flourish embeds |
excalidraw_frameworks/ |
Hand-drawn MEL/system maps using Excalidraw |
survey_to_codebook/ |
Convert XLSForms to Markdown codebooks automatically |
data_validation/ |
Scripts for missingness, duplicates, value range checks |
label_variables/ |
Label variables using dictionaries (R, Python, Stata) |
replication/ |
Reproducible statistical analyses using synthetic data |
vensim/ |
System dynamics models for development sectors |
docs/ |
Architecture diagrams and visuals |
KM_tools/ |
SOPs and templates for research documentation |
This repo is for anyone working in:
- Public health, climate, education, or WEE programs in South Asia
- MEL teams building documentation systems that go beyond Excel trackers
- Researchers and analysts writing reports that need to live longer than a funding cycle
- Program leads tired of reinventing logic models and tagging templates
- Clone or download the repository
- Explore individual folders — everything is open, documented, and editable
- Plug in your own data into calculators or adapt them to your setting
- Use the SOPs in
KM_tools/to create your own tagging systems, documentation trackers, and research logs - Contribute back via pull requests or suggestions
A typical workflow in InsightStack looks like this:
- Raw data is collected from XLSForms or CSV inputs
- Validation scripts detect missing or invalid values
- Variables are labeled for readability using lookup dictionaries
- Data is analyzed using standard R/Python scripts
- Results and tools are documented or packaged for replication
📘 See data_flow.md
🖼️ View the InsightStack Flow Diagram
InsightStack includes real, working scripts using:
- Python:
pandas,statsmodels,pyreadstat, Jupyter - R:
haven,labelled,dplyr - Stata & SPSS: Labeling, validation, and transformation
- Other: XLSForms, Markdown, Miro, Excalidraw, LaTeX
📘 See tools_used.md for a full list
If you use InsightStack in your work, please cite it as:
Varna Sri Raman. (2025). InsightStack: Knowledge Documentation for Development Research [Data & Tools]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15245182
- 🔬 EquityStack: Modular Python workflows for public health, WEE, MEL, and education data analysis
- 📊 FieldStack: Applied R templates and calculators for social sector research and dashboard-ready outputs
Want to contribute or adapt it for your own org?
Drop a message via GitHub issues or email me: varna.sr@gmail.com
This repository is licensed under the MIT License. Use freely, adapt creatively, credit generously.
You can view all updates and commit-based changes in the CHANGELOG.md.
This file is automatically updated via GitHub Actions.
© 2025 Varna Sri Raman. Built for open knowledge, shared learning, and programmatic memory.
