What is the Scope?
The datathon will focus on Labor Market issues within the society which caters to the data gaps identified in one of the National Development Priority areas. It will involve teams working on data analysis, visualization, and solution
development to cater to the National Priority Labor force and Employment areas/Indicators Labor Force and Employment in Maldives
- Youth Employment:A large portion of the labor force is made up of young people, creating both opportunities and challenges in terms of employment rates and skill development.
- Migrant Workers:The Maldives employs a considerable number of foreign workers, particularly in the tourism and construction sectors. This reliance on expatriate labor can influence local employment dynamics.
- Tourism Sector Employment:Employment in the tourism sector has been the primary driver of job creation. The sector includes hotels, resorts, and related services. Economic fluctuations, such as those caused by
global events, significantly impact employment levels.
- Skills and Training:There is an increasing emphasis on vocational training and skill development to meet the demands of the labor market, particularly in tourism and hospitality management.
- Unemployment Rates:Unemployment rates are generally low but can fluctuate based on seasonal sectoral demands and global economic conditions.
- Skill Mismatch:There is often a mismatch between the skills available in the labor force and the needs of employers, particularly in emerging sectors.
- Economic Vulnerability:The heavy reliance on tourism makes the economy and labor market vulnerable to external shocks, such as global economic downturns or environmental challenges.
- Gender Disparities:While women are increasingly participating in the workforce, there are still gaps in employment opportunities and wage disparities between genders.
- Diversification Efforts:The government and private sector are exploring ways to diversify the economy, which may lead to new employment opportunities in areas like renewable energy, fisheries, and technology.
- Sustainable Practices:Emphasizing sustainable tourism and environmental conservation may create new job opportunities while addressing ecological concerns.
- Informal Employment:Those working in informal employment are most vulnerable at times of crisis. Women are also known to heavily rely on informal employment.
What is the challenge?
Teams from across the Maldives compete for the best solution to the statistical challenge on promoting and filling Data gaps on Labor force statistics. The teams should develop innovative approaches, applications and data products
combining official statistics and big data that can help to answer a key area to support a policy decision. Teams will be challenged to design a creative analysis/dashboard/application that can assist the policy decision making process
for an SDG or national priority area on Labor force statistics. It will be up to the team to choose their own policy question that they wish to answer with their application.
- Data Sources:
- For the purposes of the 2025 Datathon, MBS will provide the participants with the Census 2022/HIES 2019 dataset
- Recommended format: CSV, Excel, JSON
- Also, they can use their related fields data sets or available big data options, like google earth, satellite, social media data, web scraping tools etc
- Submission:
- Teams will submit [e.g., reports, presentations, code repositories] by the end of the event
Event Schedule
- Kickoff: Introduction to challenges, rules, and tools. [20th October 2024 – National Statistics Day Official Event]
- Work Period: Time for teams to work on their solutions [10 hours]
- Mentorship: Provide access to mentors for guidance [e.g., scheduled sessions pre/during the event]
- Submission: Deadline for final submissions [Day 2, 6:00 PM]
- Agenda – Day 1
- Introduction to the event
- Exploration of key issues
- Unlocking the tools (A session on available tools)
- Introducing Mentors
- Agenda – Day 2
- Teams working on their analysis and innovations
- Mentors distributions and rotations
- Energizers
- Pitch formats
- Tech check
- Submissions
- Pitching
- Judging
- Closing
Evaluation Criteria
1. Relevance for Specific Policy Use (20%)
Definition: The extent to which the proposed solution addresses a well-defined labor market issue and aligns with national development priorities or specific policy needs or relevant SDGs.
Evaluation Factors:
- Clear identification of a labor market policy issue.
- Demonstrated understanding of how the solution could inform policy decisions.
- Evidence of alignment with policy objectives (e.g., employment rates, income inequality, skills development).
Scoring:
- 5: Strong relevance, clear policy use, and actionable insights with significant potential for real-world impact.
- 3-4: Moderate relevance, applicable to policy but lacks depth in execution or broader impact.
- 1-2: Low relevance, limited application to policy, and unclear potential for impact.
2. Technical Execution (20%)
Definition: The degree of technical proficiency demonstrated in the implementation of the solution, including data analysis, coding, and the use of relevant technologies.
Evaluation Factors:
- Data Analysis:
- Effectiveness in cleaning, processing, and preparing data for analysis.
- Appropriateness of the data analysis methods and techniques.
- Depth and accuracy of insights derived from the data.
- Coding Implementation:
- Structure and readability of the code.
- Use of advanced methods, algorithms, or libraries.
- Visualization & Reporting:
- Effectiveness of the visualizations in conveying insights.
- How well the data storytelling aspect is incorporated.
- Overall design and user experience of dashboards or interfaces.
Scoring:
- 9-10: Exceptional technical proficiency with advanced coding and visualization.
- 7-8: Strong technical execution with clear code structure and solid analysis.
- 4-6: Average technical execution with functional but basic implementation.
- 1-3: Weak technical execution with poorly structured code and ineffective analysis.
3. Communication and Presentation (20%)
Definition: The clarity, coherence, and effectiveness of presenting the solution, including storytelling and data visualization.
Evaluation Factors:
- Concise and articulate presentation of the solution.
- Ability to explain technical concepts to non-experts.
- Use of storytelling techniques for compelling narrative.
- Integration of data visualizations to enhance the narrative.
- Quality of presentation materials.
Scoring:
- 5: Outstanding communication with clear, engaging, and accessible presentation.
- 3-4: Good presentation that is effective overall but may have some unclear areas.
- 1-2: Poor communication that is difficult to understand and lacks coherence.
4. Innovative Approach (20%)
Definition: The creativity and originality of the proposed solution, including new technologies or approaches.
Evaluation Factors:
- Use of innovative tools or methodologies.
- Unique approach that stands out from conventional methods.
- Demonstration of creative thinking and problem-solving.
Scoring:
- 5: Highly innovative with original ideas and cutting-edge approaches.
- 3-4: Moderately innovative, building on existing ideas with some new insights.
- 1-2: Lacks innovation, relying on conventional methods with minimal new thinking.
5. Replicability and Scalability (20%)
Definition: The extent to which the solution can be replicated or scaled across different regions or sectors.
Evaluation Factors:
- Clear potential for replication across different policy areas.
- Feasibility of scaling the solution for broader use.
- Well-documented steps and guidelines for implementation.
- Evidence that the solution can handle larger datasets or more complex scenarios.
Scoring:
- 5: Highly replicable and scalable with clear design for adaptation.
- 3-4: Moderately replicable but may require significant adjustments.
- 1-2: Limited replicability with unclear or insufficient documentation.
Summary of Scoring
Each criterion is evaluated on a 5-point scale, with a total maximum score of 25 points. The weight for each criterion is 20%, so the overall score will be a sum of all weighted criteria
Weighting:
- Relevance for Policy Use: 5/5 = 1.0 * 20% = 20
- Methodological Soundness: 4/5 = 0.8 * 20% = 16
- Communication: 4/5 = 0.8 * 20% = 16
- Innovative Approach: 3/5 = 0.6 * 20% = 12
- Replicability: 5/5 = 1.0 * 20% = 20
Rules of Datathon
1. Eligibility
- Teams must consist of 3-5 members
- All participants must register by the specified deadline
- Teams can change members 24 hours before the datathon starts
2. Team Composition
- Youth Category: Teams of students and professionals aged 15-24 years
- Open Category: No age restrictions; open to all professionals and enthusiasts
- Open to Maldivians and foreign nationals residing in Maldives
- Virtual joining is permitted from different locations
- Diverse backgrounds and gender representation recommended
3. Participation Format
- In-person or virtual participation options available
- Virtual participants must ensure stable internet connection
4. Project Focus
- All projects must address theme: “SHAPING THE FUTURE OF WORK”
- Solutions should effectively utilize data to support policy development
5. Data Usage
- Teams may use public datasets or gather new data with proper citation
- Private data or sources with IP restrictions are prohibited
6. Equipment and Tools
- Teams must provide their own equipment, tools, and licenses
7. Code and Technical Checks
- All submissions subject to code and technical compliance checks
- Code must be well-documented and understandable
8. Presentation
- Each team gets designated presentation time (7 min presentation + 5 min Q&A)
- Teams should prepare concise presentations to showcase findings
9. Rights to the Final Product
- Rights to final products belong to the respective teams
- Teams free to use, distribute, and develop their projects further
10-14. Additional Rules
- Judging: Based on relevance, data use, innovation, execution, clarity, impact
- Communication: Teams must remain accessible throughout the event
- Code of Conduct: Professional behavior required; harassment not tolerated
- Submissions: All materials must be uploaded by the specified deadline
- Disqualification: May occur for rule violations or missing final presentation
