PLANNING FOR QUALITATIVE DATA COLLECTION Day 2 - Session 4

Session Objectives  List the important elements to consider when planning for qualitative data collection  Review procedures for collecting data (logistics, roles, and responsibilities)

Stages of a Study 1.Concept Note 2.Planning 3.Implementation 4.Data Management and Analysis 5.Planning and Assessing Data Use

Planning Considerations  Roles and Responsibilities  Staffing  Timeline  Logistics  Pre-testing  Training  Budget

Roles and Responsibilities  Establish clear roles and responsibilities for:  Communicating with stakeholders  Collecting data  Institutional Review Board application  Processing data (storing, translating, transcribing)  Analyzing data  Arranging logistics  Report writing/presentation

Staffing  Who do you need?  Qualitative data collector  Note-taker  Translator  Transcriber  Analyst  Administrator  Program officer/M&E officer

Timeline  Be sure to set up a realistic timeline given the context of your situation  Factors that influence your timeline:  Institutional Review Board approval  # of interviews/FGDs per day  Availability of beneficiaries - Holidays/market day  Travel time and availability of staff  Time for analysis and report writing

Logistics  Logistics can make or break the whole process  Communicating with necessary authorities/stakeholders  Arranging transportation  Printing enough copies of interview guides  Arranging a convenient, confidential location  Ensuring recording equipment works correctly  Ensuring you protect confidentiality

Pre-testing Instruments  Cognitive interviewing  Conducting interview with sample of target population Allows for making revisions and ensuring your instrument is collecting the information you need to answer your study questions.

Training  Ensure training in data collection and analysis is conducted (separately).  This is particularly important if you have more than one data collector/analyst  Length of training depends on questions/study  Ensure data collectors stick to the protocol

Training – Data Collectors Clarify roles and responsibilities Review research rationale, goals, methods, and questions Review data collection logistics, including entrée into community, location, and selection of participants (if not pre-determined) Review data collection instruments, including intent of questions Practice obtaining consent and asking the questions Review confidentiality and data storage issues Tips for qualitative data collection – probing, etc. and practice with data collection – can pilot with sample of target audience Expectations and deliverables – detailed notes, summaries, recordings

Training – Data Analysts Clarify roles and responsibilities Review research rationale, goals, methods, and questions Practice interview transcription: redact personal identifiers, indicate inaudible sections, and include field notes Review codebook Review procedure for coding (software, word, pen and paper) How to identify new codes/useful quotes Review confidentiality and data storage issues Practice coding select transcript, discuss findings and coding procedures Expectations and deliverables – detailed notes, summaries, recordings

Budget  When planning for a budget, consider:  Length of interviews, # of interviews  Staffing - $$$  Translation and/or transcription  Training costs  Travel costs – accommodation/M&IE  Equipment, printing costs  Institutional Review Board costs

Planning – Transcript Analysis  1 st round – critically read and review transcripts  2 nd round – apply codes to transcripts (with quality checks)  3 rd round – apply second set of interpretative codes  4 th + round – explore thematic areas and organize data

Planning – 50 Interviews Time  1-2 wks.: pilot test, edit guide, & training  1 wk.: interviews  2 wks.: transcripts  1 wk.: train & test coders  10 wks.: analysis Staff  3 researchers  2 interviewers  4 transcript writers  2 coders MONTHS FOR DATA COLLECTION & ANALYSIS

Planning – 10 Interviews Time  1 week.: pilot test, edit interview guide, train  2.5 days: interviews  2 wks.: analysis (for 20 pages *20 = 200 pages)  3 days: write up/data communication strategy Staff  1 study lead  1 interviewer  1 note taker  2 coders ONE MONTH FOR DATA COLLECTION & ANALYSIS

QUESTIONS???

MEASURE Evaluation is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Views expressed in this presentation do not necessarily represent the views of USAID, PEPFAR or the U.S. government. MEASURE Evaluation is implemented by the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partnership with Futures Group, ICF International, John Snow, Inc., Management Sciences for Health, and Tulane University.