Course overview
Qualitative monitoring and evaluation evidence is often collected through interviews, focus groups, observation notes, open-ended survey responses and document reviews, then left underused because teams lack a defensible process for coding, comparison and interpretation. Development and humanitarian programmes need findings that explain not only whether results occurred, but how, for whom and under what conditions. Poorly structured analysis can produce selective quotations, weak links to evaluation questions and conclusions that decision-makers cannot test.
This course develops a practical workflow for planning, managing and analysing qualitative evaluation data using NVivo. Participants build a project database, prepare transcripts and field notes, create codebooks, apply deductive and inductive coding, write analytic memos and run coding queries. The course covers the Framework Method, thematic analysis, case classification, matrix coding, negative-case analysis, triangulation and reporting against OECD DAC evaluation criteria. Participants learn to connect coded evidence to evaluation questions, indicators, assumptions and recommendations.
Teaching combines short technical briefings, instructor demonstrations, guided NVivo work, evaluation cases and peer review. Participants work progressively on a realistic qualitative dataset drawn from development and humanitarian programming, with options to apply their own approved materials. They leave with a completed NVivo evaluation analysis project, a documented coding framework, analytic matrices and an evidence-based findings brief suitable for adaptation to their workplace.
The course suits monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning personnel; programme staff; researchers; and consultants who already work with qualitative data and need a disciplined analysis process. It is particularly relevant to staff preparing baseline, mid-term, endline, outcome, process, real-time or thematic evaluations.