Given Hapunda

9 Developing and selecting indicators A project must describe how it is going to monitor and evaluate its activities. This means, developing indicators that will be monitored and later evaluated, spelling out how this will be done and by whom. Indicator development can be difficult and a lengthy process. To make this process easier, projects need to build capacities of stakeholders before the process begins. In some cases, a set of indicators can be developed by a project and then stakeholders make comments, or different stakeholders develop indicators and a group of stakeholders makes comments until consensus is reached. Data collection Data collection during baseline, monitoring and evaluation can be done with stakeholders. Stakeholders need to be familiarised with the tools before data collection. Using stakeholders can bring out data that project staff may have not initially thought were important. Once data has been collected, stakeholders can reflect on the process each day, to improve data quality and scope on subsequent days. This process empowers the stakeholders with skills and processes involved in collecting and managing data. Data analysis Participatory data analysis (PDA) involves bringing together different stakeholders, including project staff into data analysis, interpretation and meaning making process. Two forms of data are often analysed, qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative approach In qualitative data analysis, participants are first given a dossier of transcribed interviews and focus group discussions to read, familiarise themselves with the data and make notes based on the project components that were surveyed during the baseline study mid or endline evaluation, two to three days before qualitative data analysis is conducted. Before participatory qualitative data analysis is conducted, the M&E facilitator or consultant presents few concepts on qualitative analysis and how to identify codes and themes. Qualitative data analysis follows the following steps: Step 1: In-depth reading of specific sections of the transcription - This step allows the participants to immerse themselves with the data and ask questions about the data and also make additional notes. Step 2: Once the participants are immersed with the data, the next step is to generate codes independently. The generated codes are then discussed to develop collective understandings of recurring ideas.