Pacey, A.

This article argues that it is not always necessary to undertake costly surveys. A rapid reconnaissance 'sounding' of the local situation should generate sufficient information to enable a project to be started which will generate more information as it proceeds. The reasons for a cultural preference among planning officials for surveys - which often generate more information than is needed - are discussed, as are the dangers of using a limited set of conventional information gathering methods - which can miss key facets of rural lives.

It is argued that rural appraisal (talking with local people) needs to be undertaken by sanitary engineers to free them from five types of inhibition: 1) assumptions based on academic subdivisions; 2) the assumption that rural communities have no significant technology of their own; 3) a tendency to overlook opportunities for detailed improvements and go for technological solutions; 4) a failure to recognise the 'invisible' components of local technology - its software and organisational form; 5) assumptions based on professional or western cultural values.