At a Glance
In Step 4A, you will create and test data collection instruments and plan for their use.
Tools to Help
- Documentation Worksheet
- Focus Group Worksheet
- Interview Worksheet
- Questionnaire Development Worksheet
Who is Involved
The M&E Specialist should complete the work with Facilitator’s support.
Output
Move on to the next step when you have a full suite of piloted data collection instruments and methods that are in the hands of the individuals who will collect the data.
1 How to Get Started
Use the completed Data Collection Planning Worksheet to create a list of all data collection instruments that are required. Next determine which investigative questions will be posed to which audiences through the instruments identified. One way to facilitate this is to sort the Worksheet by its “Data Source” column and compare this with the completed Question Matrix to ensure that no items have been overlooked. Create one document for each instrument and audience, and on it list each investigative question and sub-question.
2 Next
Consider the type of instruments you will need and plan to create all those of a similar type at the same time. For example, create all the questionnaires you will need and then move on to all interview protocols, documentation worksheets, etc. Tackling the tasks in this manner helps you leverage the work from one instrument to the next of its type. Use the Documentation Worksheet, Focus Group Worksheet, Interview Worksheet, and Questionnaire Development Worksheet to guide your work. Questionnaire items you write for CHWs can be edited slightly to become appropriate for CHW Supervisors, for instance, and so grouping the work will help you complete it more quickly.
Important!
Whether you are using the High M&E Resource Setting or Adapted Case Study method, please ensure that the health workers you are gathering data from remain ANONYMOUS. It is critical that your sources of data feel they can be honest and frank about their successes and challenges without fearing for potential repercussions. You can assign numbers and/or letters as identifiers for each health worker that is surveyed or interviewed throughout the process.3 Then
Identify individuals from each data source group to serve as pilot participants for the data collection instruments you have created. It’s fine to choose those close at hand, but if there are important subgroups, or strata, among the target population it’s a good idea to pilot with each subgroup to ensure the instrument is sensitive to their differences. Once the instruments are ready the team must prepare for their use.
4 Finally
Once the instruments are ready, the data collection team must be prepared for their use. For self-administered questionnaires provide electronic or print copy as needed to those responsible for distribution and collection. For administered instruments like surveys or interview protocols, hold a training session with data collectors to ensure they understand what each question is designed to capture, the importance of following the question language order, and how they should document the responses they receive. One effective training approach this is to have an experienced interviewer conduct a real interview in front of the collector trainees, who will follow and document the responses individually. Then compare the captured data of the experienced interviewer with that of the trainees to ensure greater consistency.
At a Glance
In Step 4B, you will create the data collection instruments you will need to implement your data collection plan.
Tools to Help
Who is Involved
The Facilitator of the needs analysis should conduct this work, with approval from the Steering Committee.
Output
Move on to the next step when you have a full suite of tested data collection instruments.
1 How to Get Started
Create the Phase 1 instrument you will use by adapting the Phase 1 Survey Questionnaire to meet the needs of your specific investigative questions, culture and language. Pilot the questionnaire items with a few members of the CHW audience and edit as needed. Consider actively seeking instrument pilots based on gender, age, class or ethnic groups as appropriate to your region. This will ensure the questions are sensitive to issues of importance to these groups and do not violate any group specific norms. For self-administered surveys, like questionnaires, it’s important to be sure the directions are clear as well as the questions. To test this, always try to structure the pilot of any instrument to be as realistic as possible. For administered surveys, think through how the survey administrator will capture answers and be sure to pilot this as well.
Important!
Whether you are using the High M&E Resource Setting or Adapted Case Study method, please ensure that the health workers you are gathering data from remain ANONYMOUS. It is critical that your sources of data feel they can be honest and frank about their successes and challenges without fearing for potential repercussions. You can assign numbers and/or letters as identifiers for each health worker that is surveyed or interviewed throughout the process.2 Next
Plan for the consolidation of the Phase 1 data. If online questionnaires will be created, think about how data will be pulled from the tool. If physical questionnaires or survey capture instruments will be used, think about the best way to transfer that information into electronic format. You may choose to use forms that can be scanned or enter the data by hand. Also, be sure you plan for data backup and security.
3 Then
While the Phase 1 data is being collected you can turn your attention to creating the Phase 2 Interview Protocol. A protocol is a guide for the interviewer to follow, to ensure that all intended topics are raised and discussed. It is not as formal as an administered survey, and allows the interviewee to provide information in a free flowing format.
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