Advanced EFSA Learning Programme3.1. SG-Qualitative Data Analysis in EFSA.docx

3.1Qualitative Data Analysis in EFSA

Session-at-a-glance

Content / Approximate Time / Instructional Activity
Qualitative Data Analysis Methods / 25 minutes / Plenary presentation & Q&A
Exercise 3.1. Qualitative Methods / 20 minutes / Small Group Discussions
Exercise Debriefing / 30 minutes / Small Group reports & plenary discussion
Total Time / 75 minutes

Session Objectives

After this session, participants should be able to:

  • analyse HH food security in crisis situations using data collected from qualitative approaches (rather than data collected from a classic household survey)
  • describe various methods ways of gathering qualitative data
  • explain the importance – and methods – of triangulating information sources to strengthen the reliability of the qualitative data collected

Session Supplies

  • Power-point: 3.1. Qualitative Data Analysis.pptx
  • Exercise 3.1. Qualitative Methods

Key Messages

Various methods are used to collect qualitative EFSA data: focus groups, transects, semi-structured interviews, maps, and seasonal calendars, among others. In analyzing these data, triangulation is key to get at “the real story.”

In EFSAs, purposive selection is often used to select which sites to visit, although random site selection is also possible.

Generally mortality and nutrition data are obtained by the WFP EFSA team through secondary sources, but also through interviews with health or NGO staff.

Information on access, consumption, and coping strategies is obtained from focus groups, and from interviews with key informants and a few HHs.

EFSA estimates of numbers of people in various food consumption, access and riskcategories are generally informed by focus group discussions. These data are then triangulated with other sources to determine if results can be cautiously generalized.

Open-ended questions are likely to get better information on the status of food consumption, food access and coping strategies.

Estimating the numbers at risk involves asking how people obtain food, what coping strategies are used, what are the characteristics of families at risk, and then trying to reach estimates of proportions which must be triangulated with sources (e.g., secondary data of extreme poverty) to clarify if they can be generalized to other areas

Guidance Materials

WFP EFSA Handbook, Second Edition / January 2009, pages 138-142, 150-151, 155-161.

Facilitator Guidance and session preparation

Try to determine if there are enough participants with experience in collecting and analyzing qualitative data to permit small group discussions focusing on experience in the region. If not, the discussion around Exercise 3.1. can be held in plenary.

Room Setup

Arrange for both plenary and small group work in the plenary conference room.

Session Activities

Qualitative Data Analysis Methods

25 minutes

Use PPTs 1-15 to present the fundamentals of collecting, compiling, summarizing, and analyzing qualitative data.

PPT 4: Ask how many have use these techniques; ask those who have to describe how use of the technique added to or even possibly changed the directions of the EFSA.

PPT 6: Stress the need to triangulate these data with those from other sources. With triangulation, the team may be able to cautiously generalize its findings (although not in a statistically valid manner); without such triangulation, it will not be possible at all.

PPTs 7-9: Review some of the questions on each slide to emphasize the importance of open-ended questioning to enable the interview to get at the respondents’ real story and priorities, and at their estimates of who is most affected.

PPT 10: Again, stress the importance of triangulation, of comparing findings with those from other sources, including secondary sources.

PPTs 11-15: Use the PPTs to show how secondary and primary data are organized and summarized in order to present the situation analysis. Note that the categories of information (the left column) are taken directly from the analysis plan (and may be edited according to the initial EFSA checklist, or semi-structured interviewing guide). To save time, these tables can be combined with sources clearly identified across the tops of columns.

Exercise 3.1. Qualitative Methods

20 minutes

Use PPT 16 to get the participants in small groups to discuss what sort of qualitative techniques are being used in the region. That is:

As a group, discuss your experience with qualitative EFSA data:

  • How did you collect these data?
  • What process did you use to analyse them?
  • What difference did these data make to your findings/conclusions?

Move around the room and ensure they are focusing their discussions on the third bullet: what difference do these data make to the EFSA findings? How might their conclusions be different as a result of the qualitative data they have collected and analysed.

Exercise Debriefing

30 minutes

After about 20 minutes of discussions, have each group report their responses: Be sure they provide their thinking on the third bullet: What difference did these data make to their findings/conclusions? Have them speculate a bit: how would their EFSA have been different without these data?

Finally, review the points on PPT 17 to wrap-up the sessions. Stress the importance of qualitative data in understanding “the story” and priorities of the affected in a way that quantitative data cannot.

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