Hygiene Promotion - IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre

While sensitive topics are often better addressed in interviews with individuals, other topicsof more general concern are amenable to focus group discussions and communitymeetings (http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/impact/methods/indgroup.htm#focusgroup).During these interviews and discussions, several diagrammatic techniques are frequentlyused to stimulate debate and record the results. Many of these visuals are not drawn onpaper but on the ground with sticks, stones, seeds, and other local materials, and thentransferred to paper for a permanent record.Some of the key PRA diagrammatictechniques are:• Mapping techniques (http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/impact/methods/mapping.htm)• Ranking exercises (http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/impact/methods/ranking.htm)• Trend analysis (http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/impact/methods/trend.htm)Visual-based techniques are important tools for enhancing a shared understandingbetween outsiders and insiders, but may hide important differences of opinion andperspective when drawn in group settings, and may not reveal cultural-based informationand beliefs adequately. They therefore need to be complemented by other techniques,such as careful interviewing and observation, to crosscheck and supplement the results ofdiagramming.PRA involve some risks and limitations. Many of them are not unique to this method butare inherent in any research method that aims to investigate local conditions. One of themain problems is the risk of raising expectations. This may be impossible to avoid, but canbe minimized with careful and repeated clarification of the purpose of the PRA and the roleof the team in relation to the project, or government, at the start of every interview andmeeting. Trying to use PRA as a standard survey to gather primarily quantitative data,using large sample sizes, and a questionnaire approach could greatly compromise thequality of the work and the insights produced. And, if the PRA team is not adequatelytrained in the methodology before the work begins, there is often a tendency to use toomany different techniques, some of which are not relevant to the topic at hand. In general,when a training element is involved, there will be a trade-off between the long-termobjective of building the capacity of the PRA team and getting good quality results in theirfirst experience of using the methodology.Furthermore, one common problem is that insufficient time is allowed for the team to relaxwith the local people, to listen to them, and to learn about the more sensitive issues underconsideration. Rushing will also often mean missing the views of the poorest and leastarticulate members of the communities visited. The translation of PRA results into astandard evaluation report poses considerable challenges, and individuals unfamiliar withparticipatory research methods may raise questions about the credibility of the PRAfindings.A paper on common flaws in practicing PRA is online available athttp://www.snvworld.org/cds/rgMRD/rural-development/rra-pra_1.htmIRC International Water and Sanitation Centre 91