PA1- Research
Learning from Research
Research, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
We aim to go beyond program monitoring and evaluation (M&E) by doing quantitative and qualitative research to cover evidence gaps. We ensure that progress toward program objectives is directed by continuous learning and iterative adaptation by incorporating collaborating, learning, and adapting best practices into M&E and research.
CRADI continually applies MERL in development and research programs cutting across various technical sectors—including agriculture, economic development, education, food security, governance, natural resource management, and resilience.
Evaluations, Assessments and Analysis
To determine what works in policy and practice, rigorous and independent evaluation is required. Our research teams bring together subject matter and methodological experts to work directly with clients to plan and execute evaluations to uncover effects, results, and impacts, drawing on a variety of views and considerable field experience. Our teams have successfully managed evaluations for government, foundation, and commercial clients within Nigeria, including randomized controlled trials of specific programs and interventions, multisite quasi-experimental evaluations, and evaluations of national and regional initiatives and marketing campaigns. We are adept at collecting and managing primary data—including surveys, interviews, and focus groups—acquiring and processing secondary data, applying state-of-the-art qualitative and quantitative analytic techniques, and sharing results in a way that maximizes learning and progress. We deploy highly specialized skills in navigating fragile and active conflict zones, we have evaluated development interventions, policies, and frameworks at the national, regional, and state levels in the fields of peacebuilding, stabilization, countering violent extremism, and migration.
Conducting Research In Fragile And Active Conflict Zones
We leverage on our network of skilled grassroot researchers, data collectors to conduct quantitative and qualitative research projects in difficult terrains.
High-level Advisory Services
In the fields of peacebuilding, stabilization, human rights, CVE, and migration, we have developed and applied innovative concepts and tools to provide data-driven and strategic high-level advisory services.
Third-party monitoring
CRADI creates an independent and verifiable monitoring mechanism for programs that will increase partners’ and donors’ understanding of the outputs, outcomes, processes, progress, quality, challenges, achievements, and lessons learned of their projects. The information and findings will be critical in ensuring program learning, program accountability, and beneficiary accountability, which will contribute to real time programmatic adjustments and future program design. We also understand that some interventions are implemented in hard-to-reach regions where security or other forms of logistics could be a great concern. Our third-party monitoring is all inclusive of even in conflict zones and difficult-to-reach areas.
Data Collection and Coordinating
We support all modes of data collection for surveys — onsite (face-to-face) and virtual (phone, web, and mail). We employ computer-assisted methodologies and evolving mobile technologies to adapt to different situations, enhance participation rates, and control costs. This includes utilizing mixed-mode designs when appropriate. Because clients often trust us to explore complex social issues, we have developed the knowledge, skills, processes and systems to collect and handle data on sensitive topics effectively and efficiently.
We create comprehensive data collection procedures and staff our projects with highly trained and certified interviewers, drawing on our geographically distributed national network of field data collection specialists.
We have a very robust database of trained, skilled, and experienced data collectors and research assistants across Africa. Our highly experienced team has demonstrated success in the implementation and management of data collection, coordination, storage, and reporting for our partners and clients.
We have served a large array of clients, supporting more than 25 data collections for baseline, midline and endline evaluation, media and communication channel mappings, needs assessment, monitoring missions, and academic research.
Transformative Research Unit for Gender Equity
We have an interdisciplinary team of dedicated experts leading a new way forward with equity-centered transformative research accountable to our vision to move from practice to impact.
We think that equity occurs when one’s chances, access to resources, and life outcomes are not determined by the intersections of their social identities, living in marginalized groups, and/or experience with oppressive systems.
CRADI is dedicated to increasing fairness on three levels: in our research values, in the training and research process, and in the findings of our research (Values- Processes and Outcomes). Systemic biases in mindsets, behaviors, and policies must be acknowledged, addressed, and dismantled in order to achieve this.
Communication Research
Our clients and partners come to us to help define a problem, identify the root causes of a problem, determine how communication can address the problem, evaluate whether the communication was implemented as intended and resulted in meaningful changes to key outcomes. From there, we recommend how the communication can be enhanced for future impact.
We design and conduct:
- Formative Research Studies
- Insight Gathering
- Strategic communication channel identification
- Audience Segmentation
- Media Measurement and Monitoring
- Listenership surveys
- Media log design and analysis
- Media mapping
Our media mapping provides a snapshot of the database of media institutions across the country, showing the consumption of data through data sources and providing a guide for intending partners to identify communication channels or media infrastructures best suited for partnerships on their interventions.
Database management- Practicing data science for social good
Data science is a relatively new and dynamic field that integrates novel and traditional sources of data in creative ways to solve problems and inform decision-making. As governments and foundations have become more data-driven, we have harnessed the methods and mindset of data science to solve social problems and inform public policy in new ways, and even to solve problems once thought to be intractable. We seek out projects that tackle important national problems, improve our local communities, and transform research. We work with federal agencies, foundations, and state and local jurisdictions on projects that span public and behavioral health, criminal and social justice, public safety, survey research, education, and the environment.
We approach data science through a combination of problem-solving acumen, human-centered design, advanced analytics, and agile software development. We embrace difficult problems and deliver creative, functional, and beautiful solutions. Our data scientists, software developers, and visual designers, in collaboration with our colleagues with expertise in multiple research domains, practice “tip-to-tail” data science; that is, we iterate with our clients to first define the problem and design solutions that fit their needs, then continue iterating to provide actionable insight through a combination of advanced analytics, product development, and modern reporting.
Our vibrant data science team is a hub of innovation and collaboration, where people can thrive and be at their natural best while doing meaningful work to improve the world. Projects, presentations, publications, open-source applications, blogs, and media appearances demonstrate our thought leadership in the computational social sciences, most notably in data-driven justice. Along with our staff, our work has evolved from dashboards to deep learning, and from prototypes to fully deployed products. Inspired by CRADI’s mission of improving the human condition, our Center is committed to practicing data science for social good.
Our technical capabilities include:
- Advanced Analytics: Predictive modeling, text analytics and natural language processing, computer vision with images and video and Network analysis
- Cutting Edge Reporting: Interactive data visualization, dashboards and web applications and data storytelling.
- Research Publications: Through these efforts, we strive to communicate the results of our independent, objective research as a way of advancing our understanding of the world and informing decisions that will carry us into a better future.
Data Mapping
We keep databases of the issues that we work to address across the communities in which we work, providing development partners with a pool of data from which they can easily make deductions. Our databases are mapped in interactive ways to present users with an enriching experience.
CSO/NGO Mapping
Leveraging on periodic scoping studies and social network analysis, we identify local partners and their areas of intervention and maintain a directory of the same to enhance collaboration and minimize duplication of interventions across communities.
Conflict Mapping: Through desk reviews, we identify and capture verifiable press mentions of thematic socio-political and economic issues as reported in the local media, presenting a web of identified issues with a preliminary analysis of the same to inform program development and context update and knowledge.