COVID-19: Using Contact Tracing Technology to Save Lives in Jordan

We partnered with Jordan's Ministry of Health, the Prime Minister's Office, and JoTech, a youth tech volunteer organisation, to develop a contact tracing app in record time—because there was no time to waste.

Safety in numbers

The app, called Aman, or "safety," has reached over 2 million downloads—and was ranked the #1 app in Jordan. User retention for the app remains high, at over 70%. And although the overall COVID-19 case count in Jordan is low, the app has already begun to identify and flag some potential cases of exposure.

The Aman application is an excellent one; it protects me, my family, and those around me.

Lessons learned

With infections spreading rapidly around the world, the team had no time to waste. Here's what they learned about getting something together quickly: 

• Learn rapidly. Try things, collect feedback, and adapt. This is how the team was able to develop Aman in just three weeks.
• Engage leaders early and often. The Minister of Health and the Minister of Digital Economy strongly supported the development of the app throughout the process. They were champions of the project.
• Work alongside communities of end users. The team worked with a grass-roots tech organisation and partnered with the Ministry of Health’s communications function to spread awareness and trust for the app—both critical in ensuring people actively used it.

Most importantly, the team was driven by a common mission—saving lives. This helped unite key stakeholders around a shared goal and ensured quick execution. The government noted that using the app is “a humanitarian and moral obligation.” That guiding principle helped the team move with ambition and urgency.