ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book. The book concerns the challenges faced in knowing how best to intervene to improve health and social development. It offers the reader how interpretive and ethnographic approaches to monitoring and evaluation can be used to deliver successful programmes in health and social development. The book illustrates how these approaches can enhance current monitoring and evaluation. It demonstrates how these methods can be used at three different stages of the programme and policy cycle: programme design, including needs assessment and baseline survey research; programme delivery, including research to monitor the delivery of particular programme activities, and outputs and outcomes arising from these; and programme evaluation, including research to examine impact and change resulting from programmes. The book explores the potential of interpretive and ethnographic methods to improve understanding and make a difference to communities on the ground.
