Introduction
1.1 What is NOKi?
Developed by the International Research Institute (IRI) at the Columbia University Climate School, NOKi is an open-source software application that enables organizations worldwide to create and deploy powerful WhatsApp/phone surveys. These surveys gather insights on climatological and agricultural phenomena based on responses from locals, including farmers, pastoralists, and residents. The application has been expanded to include disaster preparedness use cases and other data collection scenarios.
NOKi establishes a two-way line of communication between local organizations and community members to enhance important data collection, increase participant trust, and improve decision-making processes.
The application facilitates data collection through gamified and non-gamified approaches, providing flexibility for different research and application contexts.
1.2 Purpose of this Manual
This document serves as an instruction manual for the developers and administrators of the NOKi game. The first part of the document explains in detail the workflow of the NOKi game. The second part demonstrates all the features and functionalities provided by the NOKi Admin Page. The third part covers development and deployment procedures.
This manual is intended for:
- Administrators who create and manage NOKi deployments
- Developers working on the NOKi platform
- Researchers using NOKi for data collection and analysis
1.3 Definitions and Acronyms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| IRI | International Research Institute for Climate and Society — The Columbia Climate School institution leading the development of climate-related software, including NOKi |
| Developer | A developer working on NOKi |
| Administrator | A local organization or party that creates and deploys NOKi surveys |
| Deployment | A specific instance of the NOKi game with its own settings and message script |
| JSON | JavaScript Object Notation — the data format that administrators use to define survey scripts |
| Gamified | Version of the game that includes points, feedback, and scoring mechanisms |
| Webhook | A method for an app to provide other applications with real-time information |
| Entry Code | A unique code used to start a deployment and assign players to it |
| Referral code | A code generated for players to share with others to invite them to the game |
| iKON | An older application similar to NOKi that uses the same core technology for WhatsApp surveys |