Bringing people's perceptions to project management desktops: a quantified participatory assessment of the Doon Valley Watershed Project in North India

Abstract

A fairly simple, rapid and cost-effective methodology is presented for collecting quantitative and qualitative information from community assessments, based on user perceptions. Particular strengths of the methodology are the ability to collect information in the absence of baseline estimates and to collect quantitative information even on qualitative issues. Quantitative participatory assessment (QPA) builds on the methodology for participatory assessment (MPA). This paper presents the results of using QPA in a socio-economic and environmental impact assessment of a participatory watershed management project. The results compared favourably with the findings of more conventional impact studies that were carried out subsequently.

Keywords:

• participatory assessment
• India
• project management