This sub-section explains the key issues to take into account when planning a field visit. For an introduction to field visits, see Module 2.4.2.4 Field visits – a valuable source of information.
8.2.6.1 Who should be on the field visit team?
Ensure that relevant government and implementing partner staff as well as International Federation and National Societies staff are able to participate. Good gender balance is important.
8.2.6.2 Site selection – where to go?
As resources for field visits are often limited, International Federation and National Societies and its partners should establish a two-tier strategy for field visits. Site selection will depend on number of staff, travel resources and time available.
1. Purposive sampling: A small number of sites for each operation should be selected for systematic, regular and repeated visits. The aim is to become sufficiently familiar with the localities and the people to be able to see and recognise progress and the changes brought about by the operation. Account should also be taken of the need to visit stores and distribution sites. Select information-rich cases purposively; specific type and number of cases selected depends on purpose and resources.
1. Random sampling: To validate regular field visit findings, and to provide a basis for confirming trends observed and to allow a broader picture of operation progress, additional sites should be visited in a random way. This adds credibility and reduces bias but does not allow full generalisation.
8.2.6.3 Who to meet?
· Men and women beneficiaries individually and in groups
· Community representatives, local leaders, traditional leaders
· Local government officials, district government officials
· Technical staff, site superintendents
· Donor, NGO representatives active in the operation area
· Private sector representatives (e.g. market vendors, truckers)
· International Federation and National Societies front-line staff
8.2.6.4 How to conduct the fieldwork?
· Be clear about the role of the observer.
· Be descriptive when taking notes.
· Stay open – gather different perspectives. Be opportunistic in following new leads and sampling purposefully.
· Cross-validate and triangulate by gathering different kinds of data: observation, interviews, documents, artefacts, recordings, and photographs. Use multiple and mixed methods.
· Use quotations: represent people in their own terms.
· Select key informants wisely and use them carefully.
· Build trust and rapport at the entry stage.
· Focus on pulling together a useful synthesis as fieldwork draws to a close.
· Be disciplined and conscientious in taking detailed field notes at all stages of fieldwork.
· Provide feedback as part of the verification process of the fieldwork. Observe its impact.
· Separate description from interpretation and judgement.
8.2.6.5 Why interview checklists are good practice?
· They help to ensure consistency and comparability of reporting.
· The discipline of checklists helps to institutionalise a system of monitoring that assists incoming staff to familiarise themselves with operations and thus become effective more rapidly.
· A formalised data collection and reporting system is an important ingredient of an institutional memory. Ad hoc systems tend to become very personalised and break down when the officers leave.
· The completed checklists provide raw data for subsequent analysis.
8.2.6.6 Analysing data collected using checklists Checklist data needs to be analysed:
· For an individual site (e.g. one school in a school feeding activity) - to monitor changing performances over several visits
- for discussion with local and senior staff about action that needs to be taken.
· For all sites taken together (e.g. all schools in a school feeding activity)
- to show a comparative analysis of performance of sites under the operation - to guide government and implementing partners in setting priorities to improve
implementation
- through a summary of findings to compare results and to judge whether improvements are being made
- to assess the overall success of the operation.
Checklist analysis is likely to raise several issues that will need further investigation. When the investigation is complete, you might find that adding another question or two to the first checklist would improve the efficiency of your regular monitoring of the operation. As an operation progresses you should be able to build up a series of checklists to help your monitoring. Inevitably they will be modified as your experience of the operation grows. Do not imagine that your first attempt at producing a checklist will result in a perfect product. Be prepared to use your experience in the field to modify your checklists over time.
8.2.6.7 Reporting – how to document and use the results
After field visits, International Federation and National Societies staff should report their findings in Field Trip Reports (FTRs). Although designed for individual operations there are some features of an FTR layout that should be standard throughout International Federation and National Societies. Each field visit should result in a short to-the-point report, and should include at least the following information:
Table 8.5: Format for a Field Trip Report Objectives of the field trip (linked to the indicators noted in M&E plan) People and groups met and sites visited during the visit
Methods used to collect and analyse the data Findings
Conclusions (includes analysis)
Recommendations for action by International Federation and National Societies staff, IPs and government; and names of the people responsible and the time frame for implementing these
The report should make comparisons between the most recent findings and those of earlier visits, requiring a certain degree of consistency between the different reports.