People working together around the world to generate ideas and action for social change
This section contains definitions of some of the jargon – technical terms and uncommon phrases – that we have used elsewhere on the Participatory Methods site. But we have also added definitions of some of the tools, techniques and language you might encounter as you are reading through resources you have found on our database.
We will add entries to this section as the need arises, so if there is anything you would like to see included here, please let us know.
Crowdsourcing
Crowdsourcing is a practice whereby an individual, group or company obtains the services or ideas it needs by soliciting contributions from a large group of people, usually an online community. It is often associated with the ethical practice of giving back the crowdsourced results to the public, and can be a method for triggering public participation in a wide variety of arenas ranging from citizen science to funding development projects.
Debiasing
Most field visits are planned, accompanied by government or NGO staff and subject to well-known biases. Debiasing visits involve travelling in unbranded vehicles without an official escort – though translators are likely to be needed.
Communities can be selected randomly and not told in advance. Once there, visitors wander around, observe, ask questions and listen non-judgementally. It is important that those undertaking this do not go to lecture or promote their particular programme but use the time to listen and learn.
There are potential safety concerns with this approach that will need to be taken into consideration, with an assessment of the context/area undertaken in advance, and researchers or practitioners ensuring they do not put themselves, or others, at risk. Read Robert Chambers' blog for further instructions on how to conduct a debiasing visit.
Energizer
Energizers are activities used in workshops and group situations to help participants be more alert and active; they can also be an important way of people getting to know and understand one another. There are many different energizers of varying length, complexity, exertion and ingenuity. They need to be enjoyable and feel safe, so should always be used in a way that is sensitive to factors such as culture, gender, physical ability and group dynamics. They can be particularly useful at the start of the day, when people are still getting to know one another, and after lunch, when sleepiness can set in.
Facipulate
This word, a combination of facilitate and manipulate, means to facilitate in a manipulative manner. It highlights the power of facilitators to potentially dominate participatory processes by setting agendas, steering discussions, framing analysis and summarising conclusions.
Feminist Pedagogy
Feminist pedagogy is a set of principles and practices of teaching and education which is grounded in feminist theory. This means that teaching strategies, approaches to content, classroom practices, and teacher-student relationships are all grounded in the assumption that the widespread social subordination of women is not acceptable, and that girls and women have equal rights, particularly to education.
Feminist Standpoint Theory
Feminist standpoint theory argues that all knowledge is socially constructed. It suggests that we need to identify the social dynamics which contribute to the subordination of girls and women, and that we have to see things from their standpoint in order to fully value their knowledge.
Focus Group Discussion
Focus group discussions (FGDs) are part of most experiences of participatory research and action, and perhaps the most commonly used method in the participatory toolkit. The label FGD embraces a range of different procedures, but the common denominator is that a group of different types of participants is formed, and the group members are given the opportunity to enter into conversation with each other in a safe setting. In participatory research, a FGD is usually convened, mediated and recorded by a team of at least two people, including a facilitator and a note-taker.
Immersion
Immersions are a form of learning undertaken by aid organisations. They involve development professionals living with a host family in a poor community for a short period, helping with daily tasks and sharing in family life. The visitors gain a very real experience of the cultures and conditions of the people on whose behalf they are working. Immersions, which have become more widespread in the past 15 years, can have profound effects on how development professionals understand and carry out their work, as described by Robert Chambers in an Oxfam blog. The Reality Check Approach (RCA) website has a great deal of useful material about immersions and the reality check approach, and includes an introductory video by Dee Jupp.
Linkage Diagram
There are many forms of linkage diagram, including flow charts, Venn diagrams, problem trees and mind maps. What they all have in common is that they allow participants – individually or collectively – to make a visual representation of the relationships between different components of the subject being discussed. The participatory process of creating and discussing the diagrams leads to collective analysis.
Mapping and Modelling
Many PMs involve local people analysing their situation using pictures, diagrams and symbols rather than just words. Mapping and modelling are common tools and take many forms including social, resource, mobility, environmental and vulnerability maps. Maps and models can be large or small, simple or intricate, two or three dimensional, and can be created using paper and pens, sand, earth, sticks, stones, leaves and a variety of other materials. They can be a very powerful form of expression, especially for non-literate people, and can reveal a great deal about peoples’ lives and how they see the world around them.
Matrix Scoring
Matrix scoring is a visual method of analysis in which items are compared according to a number of criteria. The items are usually listed across the top of a matrix or grid and the criteria down the side. The resulting boxes are then scored, each item according to each criterion, often using beans, stones or other counters.
Most Significant Change
The purpose of this method, most often used in monitoring and evaluation, is to identify cases of significant changes – either positive or negative – relating to the key objectives of the intervention. It is particularly useful for tracking stories of change that are related to issues that are not easily quantifiable, such as ‘capacity strengthening’ or ‘gender equity’.
NGO
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are usually non-profit, non-sectarian organisations which are not linked to any form of government. They are usually task-orientated and have a broad range of social, environmental, justice or development objectives. Two variations are international NGOs (INGOs) and big international NGO (BINGOs).
Outcome Mapping
Outcome mapping is a methodology for planning, monitoring and evaluating development initiatives that aim to bring about social change. It can help a project team or programme to be clear about the actors it targets, the changes it expects to see and the strategies it employs. Results are measured in terms of changes in behaviour, actions or relationships.
Participant Observation
Participant observation was a research method first used by anthropologists and ethnographers, and relied on researchers both observing and participating in the social life of the group of people they were learning about. These basic principles were reflected in the earliest versions of Participatory Rural Appraisal, when staying in communities and working alongside community members was seen as part of the reversal of normal development practice that was needed in order to ensure the participation of ordinary people.