Understand the situation before choosing the response

Depending on the question and context, ERC may support study framing, methodology, sampling, tool development, piloting, field-team preparation, data collection, supervision, quality assurance, analysis, interpretation, validation, reporting, and presentation.

Possible study types include baseline, midline, endline, household, KAP, needs, rapid needs, post-distribution, feasibility, scoping, vulnerability, capacity, facility, market, and sector-specific assessments.

Methods may include structured surveys, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, observations, facility or service-point assessments, document review, participatory approaches, and mixed-method integration. Digital collection tools may include KoBo, ODK, or SurveyCTO when suitable.

The final method is selected after considering the research question, population, geography, access, time, ethics, available evidence, and intended use.

The quality plan may include clear indicators and definitions, an appropriate sampling approach, tested tools, enumerator preparation, field protocols, supervision, daily checks, documented cleaning decisions, triangulation, and transparent limitations. Safeguarding, inclusion, conflict sensitivity, do-no-harm, and data protection considerations are built according to the study's risk.

• Inception note or study design
• Sampling plan and data collection tools
• Field guidance and training materials
• Clean dataset and supporting documentation
• Analytical tables or coded qualitative material
• Assessment or research report
• Briefing, validation session, or decision presentation

Share the decision the study must support, the intended participants, geography, timing, available documents or data, likely access constraints, preferred outputs, and the people who will use the findings.