Participatory Rapid Appraisal
Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) is an interactive and collaborative method that uses activities to engage participants.
Activities often use cards, diagrams or drawings to encourage participants to reflect on their experiences.
Related Tools
Thematic Analysis
Developing a Theory of Change
Sensemaking Workshop
Generating Insights
Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA), also known as Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA), and Participatory Learning and Action (PLA), is an interactive approach to place participants in the ‘driver’s seat’. It follows principles of hearing unheard voices, seeking local knowledge, reversing learning and using diverse tools.
This website contains six curated participatory tools to be used within a PRA approach. These tools help to direct conversations around domains identified during a theory of change exercise.
PRA is commonly conducted in focus group discussions or small workshops.
PRA can be used in four different ways as a MEL tool:
- Observational – single point of time reflecting on present status
- Retrospective – single point of time for ranking possible change
- Comparative – single point of time comparing perceptions of types of people
- Longitudinal – multiple points of time comparing the change experiences of the same people
The approach has four objectives:
- Encourage participants to reflect on their own lives and the changes related to the program
- Help participants lead the direction of investigations
- Start deeper conversations around complex topics – such as social norms
- Collect GESI-related insights
Step 1. Clarify the objective and modality of the PRA
In this first step, facilitators will need to reflect on exactly what they hope to achieve using PRA. This includes who the participants are, and how it will be conducted. Some points to think through include:
- How will approach be facilitated? Online video conference, workshops or focus groups?
- Who will be invited to participate? Change agents, beneficiaries, or staff?
- What theme will be investigated? For example: decision making, mobility, or participation. A theory of change can help guide which themes should be investigated.
- Which PRA activities will be used? Select one or two activities from the list below (daily clocks, journey mapping etc.)
Step 2. Tailor the materials and invite participants
Collect and prepare materials for your selected PRA activities. This can include cards, canvases (printed paper templates), post-it notes, poster paper. We recommend testing any tools with a variety of participants before starting. Add visuals and translate as required. Laminate cards or templates if they will be used frequently. Send invitations to participants with relevant participant information and consent forms. Create a focus group plan and determine the order of your selected PRA activities through a focus group guide.
Step 3. Conduct the focus group or workshop
- Welcome all participants and ensure informed consent. Introduce yourself and the research.
- Introduce the topic of the PRA approach. What are you trying to explore?
- Conduct each activity. Each linked PRA activity below has its own instructions.
- During each activity, make a note of important aspects that are useful for analysis: age, status, gender, role, religion, ethnicity, experience. Write down observations and probe participant(s) to explain their answers/responses. If applicable and with consent, take photos of the canvases for your records. ‘Canvases’ are the paper documents that are used throughout PRA activities.
Step 4. Data analysis, sensemaking and sharing
The final step is to analyse the responses to identify key themes to share with relevant stakeholders.
- Compile results. We recommend using Excel or post-it notes to compile results for further analysis.
- Conduct thematic analysis. Drawing on the compiled results and search for patterns and themes within the data. Explore differences by age, gender, ethnicity or other aspects. This may take on a different shape if the analysis is observational, longitudinal, comparative, or retrospective.
- Generate insights. Bringing together the compiled data and analysis to create insights.
- Sensemaking workshop. Explore the data with a group of key stakeholders, in a workshop setting.
Travel Restricted Times
sWhile PRA is best conducted in person, it can also be completed using remote methods.
Keeping in mind differences in access and literacy, think about different ways to facilitate and plan this approach.
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Computer and internet access |
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Smartphone and internet access |
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Basic phone access |
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See an example of participatory activities using Google Slide.
Learn more on the digital tools page.
Materials and Resources
Planning Template
Planning Checklist
DOCX | 972 KB
Do-no-harm Strategy
Integrity Checklist
DOCX | 970 KB
Effective Interviewing Guide
DOCX | 968 KB
Sample Participant Information Sheet
This information sheet is to be shared with potential participants. The template should be updated and translated as required.
Sample Focus Group Guide
This guide can be used during focus groups or workshops with participants. The template should be updated and translated as required.
Activities for PRA
Difference Mapping
Journey mapping helps to identify the steps that the participant has taken to come to their current state.
Visioning
Visioning allows participants to dream about what the future could look like. This helps them create a strategy for change.
Daily Clock
Daily clocks are a participatory way to explore the activities and tasks that individuals do during an average day.
Journey Mapping
Journey mapping is a way of making a ‘comic strip’ for a participant and their journey around a certain activity or experience.
Mapping
Mapping activities help explore spatial norms, changes, and outcomes for participants. Some common versions include mobility maps and resource maps.
Card Sorts
Card sorts are a participatory tool to engage respondents in categorising, organising, or ordering information. Cards often have visual or textual information. Card sorts can be used in interviews or focus groups.
Ladders
Laddering activities help to identify how individuals perceive themselves within a range of behaviours, activities or viewpoints. Some common versions include participation, happiness, safety, wellbeing and confidence.
Matrices
Matrices help to identify societal and household norms. Some common versions include roles, responsibilities, opportunities, decisions, access, and social capital.
Explore other approaches
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Learning Diaries
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Life Histories
Life Histories Life histories can be used in monitoring and evaluation to trace how recent interventions fit into the wider lives of beneficiaries or change agents. Related Tools Life histories approaches collect insights related to personal, relational,...
