1. Technique for Project Evaluation
PHOTOVOICE
Technique for Project Evaluation

2. What is PhotoVoice?
A participatory monitoring and evaluation methodology that:
Gives people a voice over issues affecting their lives
Builds skills and empowers marginalized groups to give them greater influence over policies and programs that affect their lives
Allows participants to communicate to program staff about how they experience the intended and unintended outcomes, both positive and negative, from the program
PhotoVoice has the advantage that you do not have to be literate to use it so that it can be used with many different types of stakeholders. The methodology, like MSC is based on the development of a research or evaluation question. Instead of answering the question with stories, in PV, participants respond to the question with photos. Unlike MSC where the logistics are fairly simple, PV involves considerable logistical support for the cameras, and printing and exhibiting the photos. It also involves facilitation of the different steps in the process. The photographers, at least some of them, also have to be trained on how to use the cameras. 

3. What Can We Learn from PhotoVoice?
Understanding of changes in women’s and men’s lives from their perspectives
Understanding of social and economic impacts on individuals, participants in producer and self-help groups, and communities
Identification of key domains and areas of focus for evaluation

4. Formulate a Research or Evaluation Question?
What
When
How
Where
Why
Who
Personal
Open-ended
Clear and specific
Directly related to the life of the photographer
Results in answers that can be illustrated through photos

5. PhotoVoice Question
What is the most significant change experienced by men and women in the communities of ___________ as a result of the LGI project? Take a picture that illustrates the change.

6. Steps in the PhotoVoice Process
In response to an open-ended question about change:
Learn basic photography
Answer the research question by taking photos
Each photographer meets with a facilitator to select his/her 5 from the best 15 of his/her photos and tells the story behind each photo

7. Steps in the PhotoVoice Process
The photographers view each others’ best photos and come up with categories to describe them and then group them by category
Once categorized, the group selects a smaller group of photos representing group consensus on the answer to the research question
The photographers prepare an exhibition
Community representatives are invited to view the exhibition

8. Steps in the PhotoVoice Process
The community groups discuss the photos and select one or two that best respond to the research question. They discuss why they have chosen the photos
At a meeting between community representatives and project staff:
Community representatives present the selected photos and explain why they were chosen.
Staff read their selected MSC stories and then explain why they were chosen.
Staff and community representatives discuss the similarities and differences between the changes identified through the stories and those represented in the photos.

9. Materials
Jongeling et al PhotoVoice Facilitator’s Guide for Sexual and Reproductive Health. Rutgers. /files/PDF/PhotoVoice_Manual_ pdf
Facilitator’s Guide and Presentations: products/tools/photovoice/facilitators- guide#Presentations

10. QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS?
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS

11. This presentation is made possible by a grant from The Technical and Operational Performance Support (TOPS) Program. The TOPS Small Grants Program Improvement Award (PIA) is made possible by the generous support and contribution of the American people through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of the materials produced through the PIAs do not necessarily reflect the views of TOPS, USAID, or the U.S. Government.

12. lwr.org programs.lwr.org 800.597.5972
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