3.3. Experiences with PRA methods


To help document local conditions with villagers, emphasis was placed on the collaborative creation of maps, charts, pictorial diagrams and other visual illustrations. This section briefly describes the PRA methods used and reconstructs what was learnt about the PRA methodologies through field work, debriefings, notes in personal diairies and through evaluations and discussions with participants. The descriptions of each method, and the lessons learnt from its use in the field, should encourage the reader to try out these approaches in his/her context.


  1. Review of Secondary Data

  2. Pre-Appraisal Dialogue

  3. Participatory mapping and modelling

  4. Transect Walks and Participatory Transects

  5. Work Sharing

  6. The Night Halt

  7. Semi-Structured Interviewing

  8. Team Contracts

  9. Survey of Villagers' Attitudes

  10. Participatory Diagramming

  11. Well being and wealth ranking

  12. Direct Matrix and Pairwise Ranking and Scoring

  13. Local Histories, trend analysis and time line

  14. Intriguing Practices, Beliefs and Anecdotes

  15. Village meeting

  16. Self-Correcting Notes and Diaries

  17. Slide Inventories

  18. Report Writing in the Field

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