What We've Learned

Some principles and practices that guide our work — and help us improve it.

1. Listen Before Measuring

In Chhattisgarh, early conversations exposed rainfall patterns and practices missing in official records. Listening first led to better tools — and better data.

2. Don’t Let Tools Lead the Process

In Lucknow, we replaced a top-down logframe exercise with a co-created question-mapping session. The final framework was more honest and usable.

3. Change Is Not Linear

In a school program, enrollment gains dropped due to textbook policy shifts. Nonlinear stories matter — and they need to be documented.

4. Consent and Context Must Evolve

In a disability inclusion survey in Maharashtra, explaining research goals in relatable terms (not jargon) helped people open up — and improved accuracy.