Guide for Community Assessments on Women's Health Care - ICRW

Part B – How To Document
Sessions and Write a Report
A crucial part of the community assessment process is to document participants’ comments during
each workshop and produce a report that summarizes the assessment’s findings. It is important to
dedicate sufficient attention and resources to this task. The team member who is responsible should
be someone who is a good listener, is not likely to get drawn into the discussion and understands
how to take notes that will be useful.
There are three levels of documentation during a community assessment process:
1) Taking notes during the workshop sessions;
2) Preparing site reports; and
3) Writing the final synthesis report.
Good in<strong>for</strong>mation can be lost if notes are not taken properly. Be aware of some common pitfalls:
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Sharing this work within a team but not clarifying whose responsibility it is to pull all of the
notes together.
Getting wrapped up in the discussion and <strong>for</strong>getting to take notes.
Missing crucial in<strong>for</strong>mation by trying to record all of the detail, rather than key words.
Losing some of the cards, flipcharts and other materials produced by participants during the
body mapping, community mapping or other exercises.
Taking Notes During Workshop Sessions
The workshop recorder is responsible <strong>for</strong> documenting:
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All the discussions during each one-day workshop;
The material produced by participants (body map and extra in<strong>for</strong>mation that participants add,
community map and services); and
A summarized profile of participants – numbers, age groups, gender, occupation.
Here are some tips <strong>for</strong> recording notes:
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Sit where you can easily hear the participants.
Get permission at the start of the workshop to take notes on what people are saying. Explain
that you will not identify those present in relation to any statement recorded.
Use a notebook or a laptop computer <strong>for</strong> taking notes.
Record all the statements made, including arguments and disagreements.
Record key phrases in the local language.
Record stories, examples or proverbs participants use to explain their ideas.
Keep it simple. Use short words and avoid technical/academic jargon.
Be factual – record what was said, rather than what you think was implied. Record your own
observations separately.
Chapter D: Tips <strong>for</strong> Running Participatory Workshops 73