1. Forget focus group discussions:
Alternative methods to understand
community realties
Some useful tips, resources, and hands-on practice
Lenette Golding, PhD, MPH
Senior Technical Advisor
CARE
lgolding@care.org
CORE Group Spring Meeting
April 24, 2013

3. 1. People often do not understand why they are doing the things they are
doing, and therefore can’t tell you.
2. Sometimes people are in touch with their reasons and their feelings, but
they can’t express them.
3. Even when they do understand why they are doing things, they
often don’t want to tell you.
4. When they do tell you, they often don’t tell you the truth, or the whole
truth.
5. It is more important for most people to preserve their view of
themselves than tell you why they are doing what they are doing.
6. Often people don’t care to examine their motivations.
7. There is rarely a single reason why a given person does something.
Why the truth is so elusive

5. A few things to try
• Mini-groups
• Have groups react to what was said in other groups
• Screen participants
• Give participants the opportunity to express
afterthoughts, or things they did not want to bring up
in the group
• Use informality
• Make it fun
• Make it a group from the beginning
• Eyes closed exercise
• Eliminate unnatural physical surroundings

6. Participation

8. • Activist participatory research
• Agroecosystem analysis
• Applied anthropology
• Field research on farming systems
• Rapid rural appraisal
Participatory approaches: Some origins
Paulo Freire
Gordon Conway

9. Beneficiary Assessment
Community Action Planning
Participatory Action and Learning
Participatory Impact Pathways Analysis
Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation
Participatory Operational Research
Participatory Poverty Assessment
Participatory Poverty Monitoring
Participatory Policy Research
Participatory Research Methodology
Participatory Rural Appraisal and
Planning
Participatory Social Assessment
Participatory Technology Development
Participatory Urban Appraisal
Rapid Appraisal
Rapid Assessment of Agricultural
Knowledge Systems
Rapid Assessment Procedures
Rapid Assessment Techniques
Rapid Catchment Analysis
Rapid Ethnographic Assessment
Rapid Food Security Analysis
Rapid Multi-perspective Appraisal
Rapid Organizational Assessment
Rapid Rural Appraisal
Self-esteem, Associative Strength,
Resourcefulness, Action Planning, and
Responsibility
Theatre for Development
Training for Transformation
Village Appraisal
Participatory Research

11. Types of participatory activities
Mapping
Experiential activities
Time Analysis
Linkages and relationships
Prioritization / Quantification
+ = Action Planning

12. Tools Together Now! 100 Participatory Tools to Mobilize Communities for HIV/AIDS. (2006). International HIV/AIDS
Alliance. This document can be downloaded for free at:
http://www.aidsalliance.org/includes/Publication/Tools_Together_Now_2009.pdf
Ideas and Action: Addressing the Social Factors that Influence Sexual and Reproductive Health. (2007). Cooperative for
Assistance and Relief Everywhere, Inc. (CARE). This document can be downloaded free at:
http://www.care.org/careswork/whatwedo/health/downloads/social_analysis_manual.pdf
Participatory Analysis for Community Action (PACA) Training Manual. (2007). Peace Corps. This document can be
downloaded for free at: http://multimedia.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/library/PACA-2007.pdf
A Guide to Participatory Monitoring of Behavior Change Communication for HIV/AIDS. (2005). PATH, FHI, USAID. This
document can be downloaded free of charge at: http://www.stoptb.org/assets/documents/countries/acsm/HIV-
AIDS_BCC_partic%20monit_guide%20(PATH).pdf
Participatory learning and action: with 100 field methods. (2002) by Neela Mukherjee. This book can be viewed but not
downloaded at:
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=CPDylQ5_RKAC&oi=fnd&pg=PA7&dq=particpatory+learning+and+ac
tion&ots=r4ASYuhlYi&sig=PjWOSjWdshD8qMkPxwRawjBe6NE#v=onepage&q&f=false
Empowering Communities: Participatory Techniques For Community-Based Program Development . Volume 1: Trainer's
Manual and Volume II: Participant's Handbook. FHI 360.This document can be downloaded free of charge at:
http://www.globalhealthcommunication.org/tools/36
A Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Workshops with NGOs/CBOs Responding to HIV/AIDS. (2001). International HIV/AIDS
Alliance. http://www.impactalliance.org/ev_en.php?ID=3773_201&ID2=DO_TOPIC
Embracing Participation in Development: Wisdom from the Field. (1999). CARE.
http://www.care.org/careswork/whatwedo/health/downloads/embracing_participitation/embracing_participitatio
n_en.pdf
Designing and Facilitating Creative Learning Activities: A companion Booklet to the Barefoot Guide to Learning Practices
in Organisations and Social Change. (2011). Second Barefoot Collective.
http://www.barefootguide.org/index.php/component/content/article/39-download/255-the-bfg2-companion-
booklet-designing-and-facilitating-creative-learning-activities
Formative Research: A Guide to Support in the Collection and Analysis of Qualitative Research for Integrated Maternal
and Child Nutrition and Food Security Program Planning. (2013). CARE.
http://thewindowofopportunity.info/resources/

13. Source: Tools Together Now! 100 Participatory Tools to Mobilize
Communities for HIV/AIDS. (2006). International HIV/AIDS
Alliance. p. 28

14. Scenario planning with Boran
and Somali Herders (Kenya)
http://www.iied.org/search/site/scenario%20pla
nning%20with%20Boran%20and%20Somali

16. Problem Tree (20 minutes)
Now we’re going to talk about the
specific causes and effects of stress in
our lives.
1. Using the paper and markers
provided, draw a large tree
including the roots, trunk and
branches. Write “Stress” on the
trunk of the tree.
2. Identify all the main causes of the
problem. Draw these along large
roots of the tree, indicating that
they are ‘root’ problems.
3. What are the main effects of all of
this stress? Write these main
effects on the main branches of
your tree.

17. Following up on a problem tree
• Holistic World View Analysis
• Force Field Analysis
• Output/outcome matrix
 These activities get participants thinking
about how they can turn the problem into a
solution, the steps to take to achieve that
solution, and monitor and evaluate the
progress of activities.

19. So, why use activities?
How do they generate data?
How do they help with facilitation?