Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Summary of Day 1

Organizing Qualitative FNS Assessments

Session 2.1

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Session Objectives

By the end of this session Participants are expected to:

•Identify the key elements of effective organization and planning for qualitative data collection.

•Explain the process of designing a methodological approach for qualitative FNS assessments

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Organizing and Planning for Data Collection

• Why plan and organize?

T.S.T.S.KI

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Exercise 4

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Group Task• In your previous groups, prepare a plan for the

rapid assessment in Maklahawa.

• Think of the plan as a detailed proposal to WFP.

• Your plan/methodology should explain how you will organize yourself to address the assessment objectives.

• Refer to the handout of Exercise 3. 

45 min for group work

Exercise 4

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

• Make sure to discuss and have detailed answers for the following:

How will we organize ourselves? Who will do what? What data collection methods and tools will we use? How will we spend our time? Who will we meet/interview? How will we sample? What type of information (topics) will we seek? (NOT the specific questions, do not develop Guides)

45 min for group work

Organizing Qualitative Data Collection

• In organizing qualitative data collection we must consider the following matters:– assessment team composition– timing and sequencing of assessment activities– sampling – choice of key-informants

Let’s see how we did in the last exercise………..

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Organizing: Team Composition…How did we do?

• Did you agree on the team composition?– What were your considerations?

- How many teams, how many members?- Qualifications of team?- Responsibilities of team members?- Gender considerations?

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Organizing: Timing and Sequence… How did we do?

• Did the plan consider time constraints and the right sequence of activities

- How much time should be allocated to a community?

- How many communities could be surveyed in one day?

- How to get into the community?- How do we sequence our planned data

collection activities?Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Organizing: Sampling…. How did we do?

• Sampling- Did our sampling approach take into

consideration the assessment objectives? How?

- What criteria were used for site selection?- Did your plan consider the need to sample

different communities that sustained different types of damage?

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Sampling… Things to Remember

• The selection of communities often follows the purpose of the assessment… PURPOSIVE SAMPLING:Purpose Sample Considerations

Identify need after shock

Communities most affected.Different levels of shock.Different ethnic groups/livelihoods.

Identify and assess need of most food insecure

Most food insecure areas. Rural/Urban/Refugees areas w/in above.Different livelihoods and ethnicities.Agro-ecological zones.

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Sampling Strategies… Things to Remember

Purposive Sampling strategies that can be applied in qualitative data collection include:•Extreme Case Sampling

•Criteria-based sampling

•Unique case sampling

•Snowball or chain referral sampling

We often find it necessary to use more than one strategy.

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Organizing : Choice of Key- Informants… How did we do?

• Did you identify your key-informants?• How did you select your key-informants?• What criteria did you use?

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Last things to Remember viz. Organizing

• Generalization of findings– Make sure to talk to the mix of respondents that

reflect the situation of the studied group. – Special care should be exercised in formulating

conclusions. Reliability and Validity of data need to be kept in-check at all times.

– Sample respondents that you believe represent the views and situations of the target group reasonably well.

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Last things to Remember viz. Organizing• Reliability and Validity should be

ensured

Session 1: 15

Definition The ability to obtain the same results over time, from various sites, respondents and assessors

The degree to which the data collected truly represents the situation

How to ensure

- Develop data collection tools and test them.- Be systematic in data collection & analysis.- Recognize own biases and that of respondents - Ask: Are respondents the most appropriate to provide answers.

Threats - External (within team or because of tools used, failure to document, relationship with respondents).- Internal (different unrepresentative field settings, people withholding info, premature or false conclusions).

Time for a long-due break???

But please be back in 30 minutes

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments