A guide for practitioners

Field experimentsIn rare cases, controlled experiments may be administered in the intervention area. An experiment is aspecial form of research which sets out to examine the relationship between two factors by manipulatingone while measuring changes in the other. For instance, one may plant maize and apply different levelof fertilizer to measure the effect of fertilizer on total yield. The advantage of experiments is that itbecomes easier to establish cause and effect relationships in analysing impacts. In fact, experimentationis a means of obtaining data with relatively high precession in measurement of the variables. In manyinstance this precision is associated with a longer time requirement than that needed for obtaining nonexperimentaldata. However, experiments are rarely used in M&E systems.8.3 Choosing data collection methodIn trying to choose data collection methods, one should note that there is no correct answer as to whichmethod is the best. It all depends on a given organization’s resource availability, M&E informationneeds, time constraints, and the level of data accuracy and detail required. Hence, in most cases acombination of data collection strategies might work best in building the information system to trackingeach indicator. Usually using a combination of different methods is necessary to carry out M&E.In general, data collection strategies involve some tradeoffs with respect to cost, accuracy, reliability,and timeliness. In this regard, more structured and formal methods of data collection generally tend tobe more precise, costly and time consuming. On the other hand, less structured and informal methodsare less costly and less time consuming, but they are less precise. If data are needed frequently and ona routine basis to inform management decision-making, it may be preferable to adopt less precise, lessstructured, and inexpensive data collection strategies.Triangulation (the use of three or more sources or types of information to verify or substantiate anassessment) is usually an important approach used to check the reliability of data. For instance, aparticipatory rural appraisal (PRA) process used to find out the benefit of an activity to the users maycombine a number of different methods such as transect walks, matrix ranking, focus group discussionetc. Similarly a household survey may combine interviewing, discussion and facilitation methods. Forexample, the output monitoring activity of the IPMS project used a methodology that encompassesdifferent methods including group discussion with project beneficiaries and community representatives,focus group discussion with staff of governmental organizations (such as BoARD and OoARD) andnon-governmental organizations, document review and direct observations.8.4 Preparations for data collectionOnce the data source and the methods of data collection are known, the next step would be the actualdata collection. However, before the start of the actual data collection on indicators, data collectioninstruments and forms must be prepared. Questionnaires, checklists and other necessary forms forrecording data have to be prepared ahead of time for the different methods of data collection. Datacollection personnel such as facilitators, enumerators, and field supervisors need to be recruited andtrained. All necessary arrangement should be made with partners who would be involved in the datacollection.Interviewers and facilitators are needed to collect data and to conduct group-based discussion/analysis,respectively. Interviewing and facilitating are two complementing skills which may be affected by age,45