Outline India is a data firm. We focus on research and development driven consultancy.
We provide strategic advisory services and policy support to our clients: International aid & donor bodies, CSRs, Think tanks, NGOs, Governments
We aim at strengthening program & intervention designs by conducting needs assessments, formative research, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) studies
We develop methodologies while bearing in mind partner constraint
We develop and pilot survey questionnaires
Operationalise large scale evaluations and data collection
We collect, clean & analyze high quality data from the grassroots level to ensure the relevance and reliability of the conclusions
Our team at Outline India is focused towards creating social impact through data.
We strive to improve social outcomes of partner program, enable setting up on monitoring mechanisms, annd help track impact.
At Outline India, our researchers take a step back and focus on improving the quality of data by making it representative of the targeted beneficiaries, reliable, and accurate.
We jump in from day zero, bringing robust data from the ground, informed by field insights. We believe that our field missions are about uncovering stories behind the numbers- qualitative with quantitative.
As a social enterprise, we are committed to making an impact. Here's how:
There can be a big difference between what works in theory and what works on the ground.
Based on our developmental sector experience in India and other Southeast Asian countries, we understand the ground-level realities and can guide you to figure out the externalities of your research design - positive and negative.
Our goal is to help our partners
Devise solutions, pilot them, tweak or change them entirely, before the social intervention is set up or scaled
Set up measures in place for periodic check-ins,
Deriving and promoting a rubric for Data Quality. Documenting learning from the field through our “Cautionary Tales.” (weblink)
Empowering our partners to put measures in place for quality control measures
The development sector prides itself on evidence-driven decision making, but the idea for what makes for robust evidence is questionable and evolving.
We are champions of good data collection in India, working to educate and build demand for stronger evidence in the sector.
Our clients work hard. Our goal is to ensure that hard work counts.
OI provides strong, reliable and accurate data coupled with an astute analysis that captures our clients' impact and sheds light on the context of their work.
We believe it is essential to share successes and failures towards improved outcomes.
See some of our publications here
The countless hours invested by our field workers in remote, sometimes hostile areas to gather the best possible data, are foundational to our research. We believe in building their skills further and giving them opportunities. Get to know some of our hardworking field team here.
Here’s what we are doing:
Building strong and diverse teams of field workers with contextual, regional, linguistic as well as research familiarity by teaching them the basics of research.
Giving research opportunities to locals who are well embedded within the community and hence bring know-how and significant value in terms of ideas and networks
Systemizing the inclusion of enumerator perceptions in the research findings.
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Our field training include
Classroom sessions 1-7 days long or longer depending on the exercise at hand
Mock sessions - in the classroom and on the field
Discussion around technology and field plans
Formation of buddy groups to complement skills and improve outcomes
Ethical and responsible research obligates us to constantly work on upgradation of our data collection process and to consider new and experimental forms of research.
We work to empower respondents by making data collection meaningful for them.
Asking the right questions by creating surveys and tools that are informed by the respondent’s context through comprehensive pre-tests.
Advocating for the dissemination of research to respondents.
Avoiding the replication of data collection efforts and advocating for responsible data collection
Our NEW tech platform and application - Track Your Metrics, seeks to automate social assessments, by empowering small, grassroots, NGOs to access ready to use survey tools and big organisations to track multiple programs for low cost (weblink) - TYM.
Researchers who are on calls or in meetings with you will go on the field mission!
Our senior research staff is part of nearly all field training assignments.
We take pride in our on-ground reach. Our love for conversations ensures that our insights are grounded and real.
We are happy to include our partners in-field training and invite them on during the field exercise
We work closely post data collection, to ensure the final report is representative of macro and micro-level findings.
We are part of numerous forums on data quality and ensure our staff attends and assimilates new and evolving practices
We participate as discussants, and in writing, to contribute towards the larger body of M&E and impact assessment work
Maintaining a culture of Reflexivity, Transparency, and Introspection by conducting regular Impact Meetings
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