Visual Self-Evaluation Tools
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Date
1999-04-25
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Abstract
Visual-based techniques are especially powerful when M&E involves nonliterate stakeholders, as the pictorial nature of the tools enables everyone to join in the discussions. Care must be taken to ensure that the drawings are appropriate for the culture in which they are used. Many stories have been told of villagers interpreting visual materials in ways quite different from their intended meaning. For example, in a self-evaluation by women beneficiaries of an enterprise management training program in India (see case study in this module), a card showing a doctor holding a large. bottle of medicine was mistakenly interpreted as a drunken husband brandishing a bottle of liquor!
This led to considerable confusion before the problem was identified and the card redrawn.
Description
Visual, and audio-visual tools in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) with non-literate communities. It explains how culturally appropriate visuals, testimonials, and photography can enable inclusive self-assessment, surface hidden impacts, and promote stakeholder dialogue. Practical field examples from India and Lesotho show how local people contribute meaningfully to evaluation using everyday materials and storytelling methods. These tools democratize evaluation processes by valuing local voices and perspectives.
Keywords
Participatory Evaluation, Testimonials, Tape Recording, Photography, Participatory Monitoring
Citation
: Deepa Narayan, 1993. "Participatory Evaluation: Tools for Managing ChangeWater anc Sanitation," World Bank Technical Paper No. 207, Washington, D.C.