Training Curricula, Guides, and Tools

Preparing a Case Study: A Guide for Designing and Conducting a Case Study for Evaluation Input, 2006

A case study is a story about something unique, special, or interesting—stories can be about individuals, organizations, processes, programs, neighborhoods, institutions, and even events. The case study gives the story behind the result by capturing what happened to bring it about, and can be a good opportunity to highlight a project’s success, or to bring attention to a particular challenge or difficulty in a project.

Conducting In-Depth Interviews: A Guide for Designing and Conducting In-Depth Interviews for Evaluation Input, 2006

In-depth interviewing is a qualitative research technique that involves conducting intensive individual interviews with a small number of respondents to explore their perspectives on a particular idea, program, or situation. They are useful when you want detailed information about a person’s thoughts and behaviors or want to explore new issues in depth. Interviews are often used to provide context to other data (such as outcome data), offering a more complete picture of what happened in the program and why.

Using Mystery Clients: A Guide to Using Mystery Clients for Evaluation Input, 2006

Mystery clients are trained people (usually community members) who visit program facilities in the assumed role of clients, and then report (by completing a survey or through an interview) on their experience. They might be used in an effort to avoid the bias in the service delivery process that often results from having service transactions observed. Mystery clients can also serve to gather a sufficient number of observations of service transactions when the actual volume of service visits is low.

Organizational Management: Monitoring and Evaluation and Management Information Systems

Part of a series of modules designed to give managers and staff of non-governmental and community-based organizations the tools and resources to effectively manage their programs and organizations. This module is focused on defining monitoring and evaluation and MIS, as well as describing how to set up and use systems that will be effective for managers, staff, and program stakeholders. 

FOCUS: A Guide to Monitoring and Evaluating Adolescent Reproductive Health Programs

Focus on Young Adults was a six-year program led by Pathfinder International in partnership with the Futures Group International and Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Funded by the US Agency for International Development, it was the first USAID-funded program to focus on the reproductive health concerns of adolescents and young adults.

• Part 1
• Part 2