BASIC CONCEPTS AND TECHNIQUES OF RAPID APPRAISAL

Rapid appraisal is an approach for developing a preliminary, qualitati ve understanding of a situation. This paper identifies three basic con cepts-(1) a system perspective, (2) triangulation of data collection, and (3) iterative data collection and analysis-and suggests that they provide a conceptual foundation for rapid appraisal and a rationale fo r the selection of specific research techniques. The basic concepts an d their related research techniques provide a flexible but rigorous ap proach for data collection and analysis by a team of two or more indiv iduals, usually with different academic discipline backgrounds. The pa per reviews the history of rapid appraisal, provides a definition, dis cusses the three basic concepts and the illustrative research techniqu es associated with them, argues for flexibility, and suggests the use of a ''Data Collection Checklist'' to remind the team of important con cepts and as a means by which the reader of a report can estimate the degree of confidence that can be placed in the results.