During last year’s end-of-year celebration, I was able to share my experience working with DHIS2. If I were to create a roadmap of sorts for people who are new to DHIS2, here is what I would suggest.
Join the DHIS2 Academy 
Firstly, join the DHIS2 Academy. I know a lot of people tend to use ChatGPT for learning, and it has its place. But it is more useful if you already understand the fundamental concepts of a particular topic. In the case of DHIS2, the Academy will help you learn the basic structure of DHIS2 and the different countries that are implementing it. It will provide real-world illustrations on how to design the tool to meet your current context. It is important to know the basic structure of how data is stored, as well as understand the global community and its ecosystem. It will introduce you to the three key building blocks that shape the way data exists in DHIS2. Skipping the fundamentals will affect what you are capable of doing with DHIS2.
Join the CoP 
Secondly, I would say join the Community of Practice (CoP). The community is one of the key components to being successful at learning about DHIS2. The CoP is a place where like-minded individuals get to share different experiences, learn, and support each other in DHIS2-related work. One way I think about this is that the CoP provides a real-life context of what is really happening on the ground in the DHIS2 space. There are real questions, real conversations, and real shared solutions from health professionals, monitoring and evaluation specialists, software developers, and implementers from around the world.
If you are intentional about it, you could use the CoP as a place to learn publicly by sharing what you are learning or new solutions to problems that people have.
Another nice thing about the CoP is that you can find opportunities to contribute by testing new DHIS2 features.
Give Back 
Thirdly, start working on projects (the side quests). This can be from the perspective of using the DHIS2 demo environment, which allows you to test new features.
Once you have practiced, in order to reinforce what you are learning, I would encourage you to apply your knowledge by sharing it with others. This can be done in so many different ways. It can be done by visiting the CoP and answering questions. It can be through writing about your experience and a new approach to getting things done quickly in DHIS2. It can be competing in DHIS2 competitions during the DHIS2 conference. It can be volunteering to test the software or sharing things at the developer meetings. Whatever you do, try to share your experience and give back, just like those who gave back to you. Tell your story, because everyone has something unique to offer in the CoP. This helps by supporting peers, contributing to discussions, and inspiring others to start their journey.
Thank you to everyone who keeps this spirit alive.
Let’s keep learning, applying, and sharing together 
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