Statistical review and recommendations for the Guatemala integrated area development studies (IADS) project

Special evaluation covers the period 1-12/82 and is based on document review, site visits, interviews with GOG agency personnel, and a statistical review of project-generated data. Major objectives were not achieved. Consonant with a project revision caused by changing GOG concerns and other factors, four studies - including inventories of infrastructure and services and of the natural resources and related economic potential of 209 rural municipios, an analysis of travel patterns in regard to access to goods and services, and a survey of local participation in development projects - were completed. However, problems arising from the lack of statistical support in sample design, survey methodology, and data processing made data obtained of little use. Sampling procedures essential to ensuring data validity and reliability were not used; important variables such as prices, employment, and local farm conditions and practices were omitted; and variables were insufficiently detailed. Survey questionnaires were redundant and poorly printed, and survey operations of low quality and hampered by political violence and unrest. The complexity of the questionnaires made data processing difficult; also, proper data entry procedures were not followed and machine editing of the data was insufficient. Current data storage arrangements make access difficult, and documentation of the data processing system is inadequate. Shortfalls were due to inadequate TA and to conflicts between the contractor and the GOG implementing agency. Problems were also caused by delays in: counterpart availability; commodity delivery; contractor arrival; in-country data processing; and in paying staff salaries. Lessons learned for future survey research projects are the need to: identify and define variables early on and match them to analytical needs; include potential database users in project planning; design survey questionnaires to meet data needs and to simplify data processing; and utilize survey methodologists and practitioners. Four recommendations are made for USAID/G to facilitate the use of project data.