Summary of publication

This independent evaluation of the Reality Check Approach (RCA) was commissioned by the Poverty and Social Transfers section in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The primary purpose of the review is to assess the overall strengths and weaknesses of the approach, specifically:

1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the RCA relative to its objectives.
2. What is the potential relevance of RCA and similar poverty and social assessment (PSA) approaches to the broader Australian aid program?
3. How does the RCA compare to other approaches to qualitative PSA.

The assessment of other approaches (Participatory Ethnographic Evaluation and Research (PEER) and Sensemaker) enabled the Review to assess the relative effectiveness of the RCA vis-à-vis other approaches to qualitative research.

Full publication

• The Independent Review of the Reality Check Approach Full Report [Word 22 MB]
• The Independent Review of the Reality Check Approach Full Report [PDF 2.55 MB]

• The Independent Review of the Reality Check Approach – Executive Summary [Word 3.12 MB]
• The Independent Review of the Reality Check Approach – Executive Summary [PDF 624 KB]

• A guide to Qualitative Research – Why, When and How [Word 492 KB]
• A guide to Qualitative Research – Why, When and How [PDF 464 KB]