BearingPoint client success story: Plan International Norway produces reports fast and easy thanks to the power of Generative AI

BearingPoint helped Plan International Norway develop an innovative AI-powered application that enables significant automation, increased efficiency, and better insights into its programs.

AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Plan International Norway implements long-term development programs focusing on children’s rights and well-being. The NGO’s aid programs receive financial support from donor organizations such as Norad, which require regular reporting to ensure transparency and accountability in fund utilization.

As a result, Plan International Norway needs to process huge amounts of textual documentation received from various subsidiaries. However, structuring the information into brief reports was challenging due to the vast data gathered from each program managed in different countries. Because the NGO teams spent a lot of time and effort consolidating reports and ensuring the information was correct and consistent, Plan International Norway wanted to explore the possibilities of the latest AI technologies and use them to improve operations.

Incorporating human-in-the-loop capabilities into innovative technology

BearingPoint applied its extensive Generative AI expertise to pioneer a digital solution for the reporting process of Girl’s Get Equal, one of Plan International Norway’s programs. The project team built an innovative application that allocates tasks between people and AI. The AI scans the source documents, pulls out relevant information, and then organizes it in information blocks. Plan International Norway’s staff can work with the information blocks and iterate on the AI-generated drafts to produce different chapters in the report. The chapters merge into the final report, summarizing information on various donor requirements, like outcomes, cross-cutting issues, and significant deviations.

The project team incorporated GPT-4 from Azure OpenAI into the redesigned process adapted to large language models, using the standard report parts as a basis. BearingPoint worked closely with Plan International Norway teams to gather feedback on the quality and flow of generated chapters, to track AI misinterpretations, and to measure overall satisfaction with the results produced by the AI.

BearingPoint also designed the user interface to combine the power of AI and the specialized knowledge of Plan International Norway’s experts, resulting in higher efficiency and quality of outputs than what could have been achieved separately. Finally, BearingPoint delivered a comprehensive presentation demonstrating the case for change across the organization.

“It’s amazing to see the transformative impact of our Generative AI solution on Plan International Norway’s reporting processes. They’ve not only streamlined the reporting workflow but also empowered their teams to focus on their core mission of championing children’s rights. With a tailored AI approach we can enable such powerful synergies between AI and human expertise, and really deliver on our commitment to drive positive change through cutting-edge solutions for our clients,” said Vebjørn Axelsen, Partner at BearingPoint.

Using Generative AI to facilitate easy reporting for humanitarian programs

Plan International Norway now benefits from a powerful tool to enhance report writing with the new AI-based application. By processing large amounts of text and writing the reports automatically, the application reduces the time spent with document read-throughs, as AI can produce the necessary chapters by itself. Moreover, the human-in-the-loop component helps maintain the high-quality content of the reports.

Program information is now well organized and easy to access, which helps speed up writing report chapters. Additionally, the tool enables new ways of working for the NGO staff, as more people can join in the conversations, and new report versions can be created on the spot during meetings. The new Generative AI application also improves job satisfaction by eliminating repetitive tasks. Moreover, the solution enhances report quality by using AI to find new trends and insights that may be challenging for humans to spot when dealing with such large volumes of documents.

“As an aid and development organization, Plan International Norway is continuously exploring ways to become more efficient in how we deliver impact. In our pursuit to test Generative AI, we found expertise in our longstanding partner BearingPoint. Together we have made a successful MVP resulting in efficiency, new insights, and new ways of working for us at Plan International Norway”, said Kari Helene Partapuoli, National Director, Plan International Norway.

About Plan International Norway

Plan International is a global humanitarian organization dedicated to championing children's rights. Religious and politically neutral since 1937, Plan has tirelessly been advocating for children's rights. Operating in over 80 countries and implementing projects in 67,300 communities worldwide, we establish long-term relationships with local staff and volunteers, earning trust and acceptance within the communities we serve. This local presence enables Plan to respond swiftly in times of crisis.

Plan International Norway’s primary focus is on empowering girls' rights, both in the long term and through emergency relief efforts. We strive for equal opportunities for all children, with a particular emphasis on prioritizing girls, who often face the harshest conditions where children suffer.

About BearingPoint

BearingPoint is an independent management and technology consultancy with European roots and a global reach. The company operates in three business units: Consulting, Products, and Capital. Consulting covers the advisory business with a clear focus on selected business areas. Products provides IP-driven digital assets and managed services for business-critical processes. Capital delivers M&A and transaction services.

BearingPoint’s clients include many of the world’s leading companies and organizations. The firm has a global consulting network with more than 10,000 people and supports clients in over 70 countries, engaging with them to achieve measurable and sustainable success.

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