2. ‘-
2
There are a wide range of tools and techniques which can be used to do
PRCA. They can be divided into four main categories, according to the
kind of activities they facilitate and the information they generate
(FAO,2014):
1. PRCA tools for warming-up, team building and energizing – ideal
to introduce participants to one another and open up the discussion,
remove inhibitions, develop trust, encourage teamwork and kindle
creativity.
3. ‘-
3
2. PRCA tools for identifying and analyzing critical
issues -designed to elicit specific information and facilitate
decision making about the key development issues and
communication entry points.
3. PRCA tools for knowing more about the stakeholder
group or community – more suitable for the collection of
geographical, historical, socioeconomic data.
4. ‘-
4
4. PRCA tools for collecting communication-related
data – linkage diagrams, net map, ranking and scoring
exercises along with focus group discussions and
interviews are among the best tools to investigate
stakeholders’ levels of awareness, interest, knowledge and
skills, as well as the communication resources they might
need or have already available.
8. ‘-
8
What is a problem tree?
A problem tree is a participatory planning tool
commonly used in community based approaches. It
basically maps out the main issues affecting a
community, along with their known causes and
effects.
3.1 PROBLEM TREE
9. ‘-
9
Advantages
Problem tree analysis is extremely useful in
planning a successful communication programmed as
it can reveal the context of a rural development project
and the complexities in a community. Done in a
participatory manner, it contributes to build a shared
sense of understanding of the problems and their
possible solutions.
10. ‘-
10
Disadvantages
Differences in perception of reality among
members of the community can sometimes slow
down the process. A good facilitator should be able
to draw out the community members or participants’
ideas and opinions in a way that puts the issue in
focus, rather than digressing from it.
11. ‘-
11
Skill Needed
- It is easier to come up with a broad problem
than to focus on a very specific and narrow one. A
special skill for doing problem tree analysis is the
ability to facilitate a group discussion that enables
participants to distinguish a core problem and
identify its possible causes.
13. ‘-
13
What is key formant interview?
As the name implies, key informant interview (KII)
involves a one-on-one interview with people chosen
because they are deemed most knowledgeable about
the subject matter or issue on hand. These informants
are selected by virtue of their age, experience, position,
authority, and/or involvement in activities pertaining to
the subject being studied.
3.2 KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEW
14. ‘-
14
Advantages
The main advantage of KII is that it provides
immediate insights into a particular issue or
subject. It is most useful for collecting data on
highly sensitive topics, when respondents are
widely distributed over a large area, and when
peer pressure may influence a respondent’s
answer in a group.
15. ‘-
15
Disadvantages
One limitation of KII is that results are
respondent-specific and do not necessarily reflect
the norm or average in the population. Another
practical disadvantage is that some responses
may not be accurately recorded by the interviewer
as there may be a large gap between his/her
knowledge and that of the respondent.
16. ‘-
16
Skill Needed
Unlike formal surveys, where the interviewer
merely fills in or checks off responses, KII
requires quick and creative thinking and the
ability to understand and process the data
provided by the informant.
17. ‘-
17
What is focus group discussion?
Focus group discussion (FGD) involves bringing
together a group of stakeholders to talk about a
specific topic. It takes advantage of group dynamics
and allows respondents to be guided by a skilled
facilitator to explore issues in depth. Focus groups
should ideally be homogenous with six to eight
members.
3.3 FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION
18. ‘-
18
The composition of focus groups is determined by
certain factors with bearing on project objectives and
design. These may include:
• Demographic data (age, gender, occupation)
• Position in the organization (officers, members)
•Level of knowledge and/or expertise on the subject
matter for discussion
• Representativeness (farmers, NGOs, local officials,
women, etc.)
19. ‘-
19
Advantages
FGD provides the opportunity for group
interaction, which generally stimulates richer
responses and allows new and valuable thoughts
to emerge. It gives first-hand insight into the
respondents’ behavior and attitudes; although
unlike interviews, its responses represent a
group, not individuals.
20. ‘-
20
Disadvantages
Managing the discussion group is rarely
problem-free as group dynamics are often
unpredictable. Some participants may be shy or
reluctant to speak out in public, thus there is not
much variation in their responses.
21. ‘-
21
Skills needed
FGD is perhaps the most difficult PRCA
technique to handle. It often requires more than one
person to conduct it, as somebody else needs to do
the documentation. It also requires a skillful facilitator
who can stimulate group discussion without losing
sight of the objectives as well as handle disruptive
participants.
22. ‘-
22
What is social mapping?
Social mapping is translating information into a
drawing, picture, or image that references data
according to geographical location. Stakeholders
draw or assist in drawing maps that depict certain
elements relevant to those that are being studied.
3.4 SOCIAL MAPPING
23. ‘-
23
Advantages
A map can be used to turn complex data into
easily understood and conceivable images.
People generally respond well to data presented
in map form. Maps make for an effective
communication tool as most maps can be
grasped by a wide range of people with different
backgrounds.
24. ‘-
24
Disadvantages
When using maps, special care must be given to
ensure that they closely resemble the real technical
map. Standardization of information (symbols for
schools, farms, communication services,
settlements, radio station) must be carried out at the
beginning of the activity to ensure that different map
elements are recorded in the same way by all
participants.
27. ‘-
27
What is matrix ranking?
This is a convenient and highly effective tool for
prioritizing items. It involves ordering various
items, conditions or perceptions in an objective
manner. A popular one, which is most relevant to
farming communities, is the preference ranking for
communication channels especially among widely
dispersed groups.
3.5 MATRIX RANKING
28. ‘-
28
Advantages
Matrix ranking complements other forms of
data collection by generating basic information
which leads to more direct questioning. Ranking
is most useful for sensitive information. Often,
informants tend to be more willing to rank
preferences in a relative order than absolute
order.
29. ‘-
29
Disadvantages
Ranking can sometimes be a long process.
Respondents can get bored quickly and begin to lose
their concentration during the exercise. It is important to
keep the number of items and criteria being ranked
between four and eight to avoid confusion. It is also
important to avoid mixing radically different types of
items.
Skills needed
Matrix ranking requires some training and a good
deal of practice.
30. ‘-
30
What is Direct observation?
Direct observation is a technique in which the
planner systematically observes individuals, groups,
events, processes, or relationships and records
his/her observations. Included here is participant
observation – when the planner stays in the
community for a certain time to carry out an in-depth
study.
3.6 DIRECT OBSERVATION
31. ‘-
31
Advantages
Direct observation is a tool for collecting
actual social data. It is useful for validation
because it can be used to cross-check
respondents’ answers. It is also easy to learn,
but one has to record his/her observations
systematically.
32. ‘-
32
Disadvantages
For collecting data about social issues and
conditions, observation should not be used
as the sole monitoring method, especially if
the members of the monitoring team are not
from the project area.
34. ‘-
34
What is a time line?
A time line is a visual tool for planning that
depicts the occurrence of major events in the
history of a community. The type of event
depends on the issue being addressed.
3.7 TIME LINE
35. ‘-
35
Advantages
Understanding the past of a community is often
necessary to analyze the present conditions, and
to try to forecast how present conditions may
evolve in the future. The time line helps the
community understand which local, regional, or
international events they consider important in
their history, and how such events affected their
lives (FAO, 2013).
36. ‘-
36
Disadvantages
A timeline can only show the chronological
flow of events hence it should be
accompanied by a textual report, written or
oral, when presented.
37. ‘-
37
What is a Venn diagram?
The Venn diagram is considered a social
data gathering tool. It uses circles to illustrate
how different components of an institution or a
community are linked, thus showing the relative
significance of people, places, institutions, or
ideas.
3.8 VENN DIAGRAM
38. ‘-
38
Advantages
The Venn diagram is very useful to get an initial overall
picture of the stakeholder community and to analyze the social
and power relations among different actors. It comes in handy
especially to:
•compare aspects like relative importance and accessibility of
different institutions
or services (both local and external institutions can be
represented);
•explore the relationships between people, institutions and
services and their effects on vulnerability.
39. ‘-
39
It may be used to generate discussion on the following topics
(Ford et al., 1992):
•levels of communication among organizations;
•role of project bodies;
•potentials for collaborative work;
•roles and significance of various institutions to community
members;
•potential roles of new organizations;
•roles and significance of various institutions to one specific
organization.
40. ‘-
40
Disadvantages
The Venn diagram exercise should be
undertaken after the problems and opportunities
in the community have been clearly identified.
This is because the Venn diagram can help
identify the actors that will be involved in
implementing the communication plan.
43. ‘-
43
• After undertaking the communication appraisal, all the data and
information generated is ready to be analyzed and compiled into a
coherent report. PRCA results will give a comprehensive picture of
the communication gaps and opportunities related to the key
development issue – as identified and prioritized by the
stakeholders – as well as the policy, institutions and organizations
that can support the implementation of ComDev activities.
• Different groups in the stakeholder community will be profiled,
revealing their background and culture, as well as their
knowledge, skills, attitudes and practices.
• Findings will include evidence on how people communicate within
their community, their main sources of information from outside,
the patterns of interaction, social influence and knowledge
exchange. All of this shall constitute a baseline for the envisioned
ComDev strategy and plan (see Module 3).
44. ‘-
44
DE GUZMAN, MILES JOSHUA
PERU, JESSA MAE P.
MECA, NELYN J.
ALBA, KENT ADRIAN P.
JALAYAJAY, JHORICA P.
BSCD 1B
GROUP 4
