Formative Research: A Guide to Support the Collection and Analysis of Qualitative Data for Integrated Maternal and Child Nutrition Program Planning

This guide will provide anyone with the basic information and tools they need to conduct and analyze qualitative research and will be most useful for people who are planning programmes to improve maternal and infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN) combined with programming around improved household food security and it is not required that users have prior experience with qualitative research. This guide reviewed methods focused on infant and young child feeding (IYCF), maternal nutrition, and food security but can also be applied to numerous topics. The goals of the guide are to: define the key problems in maternal and child nutrition and feeding practices and local food insecurity, provide an introduction to conducting formative research, familiarize users with qualitative methods, offer step-by step instructions on how to plan, conduct, and analyze formative research and complement other qualitative formative research guides that exist