Table 2: Main activities associated with planning for a research project
Phase Main activities
Designing the project
  • Determine issues/problems to study and frame the research question(s).
  • Identify relevant stakeholders.
  • Identify funding sources and obtain support.
  • Develop a research protocol.
  • Obtain ethical clearance.
Planning
  • Organize the research group and advisory committee.
  • Establish budget and financial management procedures.
  • Develop a monitoring plan.
  • Develop a dissemination plan.
  • Plan for capacity building and technical support.
Implementing
  • Gain the approval of appropriate stakeholders to begin execution.
  • Pre-test all research tools.
  • Implement the new idea.
  • Ensure continuous monitoring of the implementation process.
  • Establish and maintain data management and quality control.
  • Communicate findings.
  • Explore with stakeholders’ interpretations and recommendations arising from the research findings.
  • Monitor changes in the revised project.
Follow up
  • Disseminate results and recommendations.
  • Document any changes in policy and/or guidelines that resulted from the research.
  • Consider ways of improving the project that can be tested through further research.
  • Project closure.