(Version 18/01/04)

The first version of the Handbook to be piloted is the result of multi-pronged approach :

• extraction of information and issues from the relevant Anglophone, francophone and Hispanic specialised literature;
• 5 cases studies in different contexts (Sri Lanka, Angola, Colombia, Afghanistan, Eastern DRC);
• the analysis of a dozen different types of handbooks; and
• a strong steering process by an inter-agency group (bringing together NGO, UN agencies).

The first version will go through a series of "test and review" processes comprising :

• the distribution of a questionnaire with the Handbook itself, so that interested individuals or teams can feed-back their remarks for the revision process;
• the collection of feed-back from experts on participation and on technical issues and;
• an inter-active debate through the Global Study website (www.globalstudyparticipation.org)
• the formal field piloting with a group of interested agencies.

The present protocol addresses the methodology for the latter.

A certain number of hypotheses and assumptions have been made during the process of the elaboration of the Handbook.

• it should be a stand-alone document requiring support training in only a limited number of situations;
• it should help both decision makers who have to decide on policy, and field-workers who have to "do the job";
• it should make sense for both international and national NGOs.

The Handbook should thus be clear and understandable, easy-to-use, and should really be perceived as helpful by the end-of-the-chain users (field workers).

The ideas is to test the Handbook through an exercise which will be both comprehensive and light for the agencies who volunteer for the piloting process.

It will be based on a process including two visits:

• Visit 1 : one week, comprising a presentation of the process that led to the Handbook elaboration, and a presentation of the issues on which the authors of the Handbook require feed-back, as well as any other points deemed relevant to the Handbook revision by the agency team. During this first visit, a mechanism for the collection of remarks, ideas, suggestions will be presented and discussed with the field staff. It will comprise, among other elements, the distribution of diaries with which staff can collect their views and ideas in a systematic and organised manner;

• Visit 2 : This second visit will entail a thorough collection of feed-back, through the gathering of written notes and diaries, a workshop and visit to various activities with field staff.

After information is collected, a two-day Working Group workshop will be organised to take stock of the wealth of ideas and to decide strategically on how to incorporate them in the Handbook revision. There is an interesting option to invite a number of experts on participation at this workshop.

On this basis, the Groupe URD team will produce a first draft of the second version to be re-circulated within the Working Group and, potentially, to an enlarged group. A second draft will thus be produced by Groupe URD for final revision, copy editing and formatting.