Part II Collecting and analysing data 7.2. WHAT TYPES OF PRIMARY DATA CAN WE USE WITH OPERA? Outcomes Policy efforts Resources Assessment Direct observation Direct observation Direct observation Perception surveys Surveys (especially perception and opinion surveys) Surveys and scorecards Interviews and focus groups Interviews and focus groups 7.2.1. Data on outcome indicators Questions posed directly to rights holders – for example, through surveys, focus groups or interviews – can be used to collect data on their well-being. As discussed in Chapter 4, well-being indicators can be a proxy for rights enjoyment that can then be disaggregated and compared over time. Perception surveys can be particularly important in this regard because well-being has a subjective dimension to it (i.e. how do people feel about their living situation). In some cases, direct observation can be a relevant source of primary data for outcome indicators. For example, you might measure the height and weight of children in a particular community to collect data on malnutrition. 7.2.2. Data on policy efforts Primary data on the implementation of laws and policies – that is, how laws and policies translate into goods and services on the ground – can be collected through direct observation. For example, counting the number of water points in a community and recording data about how well they function. Surveys or scorecards with individuals, households or communities can also be used to gather data on goods and services; for example, the distance to the nearest school, or daily meal consumption, or the percentage of household income spent on housing. Perception surveys can be useful to analyse whether legal and policy processes are participatory, transparent and accountable. 7.2.3. Data on resources Because it focuses on how public resources are allocated, generated and spent, secondary data will be the main type of data used for the third step of OPERA. That said, there may be some instances were direct observation is needed to assess whether resources have been properly spent. For example, if the Government procures the services of a private contractor to build low-income housing, you could gather useful primary data by physically going to the housing development to evaluate whether the project was actually completed and is of an adequate standard. 7.2.4. Data on assessment As will be discussed in Chapter 13, understanding the broader contextual factors affecting rights holders and duty bearers is part of the analysis under step four of OPERA. Primary data on these questions could be gathered through surveys, interviews and focus group discussions. 7.3. HOW TO DOCUMENT DIRECT OBSERVATIONS Collecting data through direct observations can be useful for getting straight to the source of the data, without bias on behalf of the research subject or the researcher. However, there are a number of issues that can arise when collecting primary data through direct observation. First, in order to improve the reliability and validity of data collected through direct observation, it is important to be consistent in the way the data is recorded, using harmonized definitions and appropriate classifications of the issues being studied. Developing standardized templates and checklists can be helpful in this regard. Chapter 7: Collecting primary data | 73