Planning for community-based evaluation

We present a planning guide that can be used to improve community-based eva luation. The planning guide consists of a set of questions that need to be discussed with all stakeholders. It covers issues relating to the nature an d purpose of a community-based evaluation project, research methods and app roaches. participation acid decision-making, conflict and conflict resoluti on, and dissemination and use of results. The planning guide was developed through our experiences in an HIV/AIDS research and evaluation unit and a r eview of the literature. If community-based evaluators keep in mind the que stions in this planning guide and discuss them early on with stakeholders, the evaluation process should benefit.