Piloting quantified participatory assessments in DPIP (Rajasthan) : final report

Quantified Participatory Assessment or QPA is a methodology that uses a variety of participatory and other methods to collect information from project stakeholders. A distinctive feature is the collection of qualitative information in quantitative form, which helps integrate qualitative information with regular MIS data, to give project management an integrated view of project performance alongside financial and physical data. In addition, the methodology can provide timely information of field level problems for corrective action by project management. The methodology is flexible and can be adapted to suit the information needs of any project, especially qualitative issues at field level.
The utility of the QPA to the project in Rajasthan, India, is demonstrated, with all the output being aimed at illustrating the nature of analysis rather than pre-determining what the project should do. The overall objective is to pilot an institutional structure that 1) collects qualitative and quantitative information on project implementation at village, district and state levels, 2) brings different stakeholders together to discuss this information, and 3) feeds into project decision-making for improved performance in the future.
In particular, seven specific processes were identified for assessment : awareness generation, formation of common interest groups, preparation of sub-project proposals, group development, capacity building, decision-making, and transparency. The development objectives of the project are to improve the economic opportunities, living standards and social status of the poor in the selected villages. The document comes with ready-made formats and presents the main findings of the pilot in the Dausa and Churu districts.