| Method | What it is | When it is used | What to collect | When to use it | Who does it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus group | Guided in-depth discussion of a single topic by homogenous group. | To explore feelings of family
planning users or providers. To obtain information on knowledge, beliefs, and practices that require probing and discussions. | Client attitudes Reasons for discontinuation Community attitudes toward family planning Provider attitudes | If there are high discontinuation levels in the family planning program or to learn the client's perspective. | Persons who have been trained in the focus group method. |
| Exit interview | Short interview (several questions) asked of clients as they receive FP services or leave an FP clinic | To determine the client's immediate reaction to services. To identify potential problems in service delivery. | Client
satisfaction Client dissatisfaction | Whenever new services are introduced or changes made in existing services, or to determine client satisfaction with current services. | Members of the local health team who are not primarily involved in delivering family planning services. |
| Rapid assessments | Small scale surveys covering a limited geographic area. | To verify local contraceptive
prevalence rates. To compare different groups in the population using different family planning service alternatives. To identify changes in contraceptive use patterns. To determine the unmet demand for family planning services. | New
clients Continuing users Frequency of contraceptive-related complications Frequency of discontinuation Frequency of method-switching | Whenever there are unexplained or unexpected changes in family planning coverage or utilization rates. | Persons with some knowledge about the organization of surveys and sampling methods. |
| Operations research | Small research projects designed to improve the management of the family planning program. | To identify specific operational problems relating to
delivery of services or distribution. To test one or more solutions to specific operational problems. To test ways of making program operations such as supervision or logistics more effective and more cost- and resource- efficient. | Supervisory
procedures Logistics systems Movement of clients in a family planning service setting Financial and accounting systems | If program costs are high. If clients are dissatisfied. If family planning providers are dissatisfied. If there is excessive waste of contraceptives. | Persons who have been trained in research design and implementation. |