13/08/2026
Data quality doesn’t start in the field—it starts with planning.
In my latest Jamburi Consulting article, I share a practical approach to planning M&E data collection: mapping indicators into a quarterly Gantt chart, preparing tools and field logistics early, building data-quality checks into the collection process, and ensuring that every question collected has a clear purpose.
The goal is simple: Good planning → Quality data → Quality insights → Better decisions.
If you work in M&E, MEAL, MERL, research or program management, I hope you find it useful. I’d also love to hear how your team plans data collection ahead of reporting periods.
One of the biggest mistakes we make in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) is treating data collection as an activity that begins when enumerators go to the field. It doesn't.
