Debriefs, Sensemaking, and Collaborative Analysis
Debriefs, sensemaking workshops, and collaborative analysis are all forms of creating sense of results. This technique can be used for all three and allows teams to synthesise results, generate insights, and identify recommendations.
Related Approaches
Learning Diaries
Life Histories
Participatory Rural Appraisal
Q-Methodology
Positive Deviance
The three approaches (debriefs, sensemaking and collaborative analysis) bring together all the relevant stakeholders to explore the main themes and outcomes of MEL explorations. They have three objectives:
- Synthesise results (what)
- Generate insights (so what)
- Identify recommendations (now what)
We recommend using rapid REST analysis, which is outlined below:
Rapid REST analysis is conducted in a debrief workshop with the team taking all the data from the whole activity (observations, outputs, responses).
The team should work through each of these categories one by one, allowing time to brainstorm and write insights and comments on post-its or on a brainstorming platform. We recommend going in order from surprises-themes-extremes-recommendations.
The workshop will require a strong facilitator to keep the team on track. Ideally have each participant brainstorm individually and then bring the materials together in a plenary.
Remote teams can use a digital platform or messaging application to conduct the workshop.
Surprises
Surprises are things that were surprising to the research team. Start with this, as it is a good way to get the big stories out.
Themes
Themes are things that have come up multiple times throughout the research. These are the commonalities between all responses or observations.
Extremes
Extremes are things outside the normal themes. These are the outlying concepts or people that don’t fall into the themes.
Recommendations
Recommendations come out of the other three categories and related to future activities or interventions. In this section, we advise asking participants to reflect on the results based on their own experiences and values to develop recommendations.
Travel Restricted Times
While sensemaking workshops are best done in person, they can also be completed using participatory methods and online tools. However, for best results this should be done with internet access and computers.
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Computer and internet access |
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See an example of participatory activities using Google Slide.
Learn more on the digital tools page.
Resources
Sensemaking ‘REST’ Canvas
This canvas can be used to start the REST analysis. Alternatively, a grid can be drawn on a whiteboard.
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