Base Line Study
We undertake base line studies to capture the social demographic details of the community and analyse the data to understand the need of the community which would be an important too assess the situation on the ground and will aid in designing and planning the interventions in the right manner.
To understand the changes brought about by a project or programme it is first necessary to understand what the original situation was. This is known as the baseline. Baseline study can range from simple data collection exercises through to large, expensive surveys. They are an important part of many M&E systems. Baseline studies are normally carried out at or near to the start of a project or programme. Most projects and programmes contain objectives and indicators that define the changes they are trying to influence.
In order to assess these changes it is first necessary to understand the original situation. This involves collecting and analysing information on the objectives and/or indicators at the start of a project or programme. This is called the baseline. In theory, data on the objectives/indicators is then collected later in the project or programme, and the two situations are compared. Without a baseline it is much harder to evaluate progress, because changes cannot easily be compared with the original situation.
Baseline studies can range from largely informal or ‘light-touch’ exercises through to large-scale surveys or studies. Baseline studies are normally carried out at or near to the start of a project or programme. If a baseline study is carried out at household or individual level then it is normally conducted after the target households have been selected. In practice, this means a baseline is often done after the design phase of a project or programme has been completed. The primary purpose of a baseline is to allow a project or programme to evaluate performance by establishing what changes have occurred between the start and the mid- or end-point. However, baselines can sometimes be used for other purposes, since they provide useful information on the target population. For example, information collected during a baseline may reveal that the objectives or indicators established at the beginning of the project need to be adjusted. Baseline study information can also be used to set milestones and targets.
