The Inclusive Digital Economy Index

IDEI: The Inclusive Digital Economy Index — Toolkit & Survey

What is IDEI?
The Inclusive Digital Economy Indicators Project (IDEI) is a DFS Lab initiative to create the first globally comparable, nationally representative measures of both readiness and real engagement in the digital economy. The reports, toolkit, and survey will help governments and donors benchmark digital transformation progress, target DPI investments, and close digital divides. 

Why it matters

Existing data either track infrastructure and enablers or high-level aggregates, rather than directly capturing individual participation in the digital transformation.IDEI measures individual participation and income generation, so implementers can target policy where they’re needed most—especially for women, lower‑income, and rural populations.

What you get (the toolkit)

• Global landscaping and conceptual framework to motivate and guide digital economy survey design.
  
  
• Policy mapping of 200 plus policy documents in 10 countries to anchor in real policy maker needs.
  
  
• Comprehensive literature scan to anchor the approach in evidence and other work.
  
  
• Field‑ready survey module with concise, comparable questions -field tested in Nigeria, India, Indonesia, and Kenya.
  
  
• Survey designer toolkit to help with implementation and modification. 

What it measures (four domains)

1. Readiness – device, connectivity, ID, payments, capabilities, trust
   
   
2. Livelihood participation – selling, gig work, rentals, content; income importance
   
   
3. Broader participation – buying online, working in digital‑first firms/roles
   
   
4. Risks & barriers – fraud, data exposure, fairness, ability to opt out, reasons for non‑participation

Who it’s for

IDEI is built for governments and national statistics offices shaping inclusive digital and jobs strategies; donors and multilaterals investing in digital public infrastructure, skills, and safeguards; think tanks and researchers who need comparable, people‑level indicators; and market builders looking to prioritize platforms and segments that actually create livelihoods. If you design policy, finance programs, or build markets in the digital economy, IDEI gives you a common language—and the data—to act.

Use it to…

Use IDEI to see where inclusion is working and where it’s stuck, by gender, income, and geography. Convert findings into concrete choices on ID, payments, connectivity, skills, and worker/consumer protections. Spot the segments and places where digital livelihoods are already real and scalable, and direct capital and policy attention there—focusing scarce resources where they move the needle most.

Work with DFS Lab

DFS Lab has extensive experience in the digital economy and can help you adapt, field, analyze, and extend IDEI—country modules, sector add‑ons, instrument testing, and policy translation—so you move from measurement to momentum fast.