This document describes six time-related participatory rural appraisal (PRA) methods: 1) Daily Activities Schedule maps out individuals' daily routines; 2) Dream Map reveals communities' aspirations; 3) Genealogy Map traces family histories; 4) Historical Transect depicts changes over time; 5) Timeline captures important historical events; 6) Trend Analysis identifies changes across different time periods. Each method is used to understand how people use time, envision the future, or perceive change. The document explains the application, process, advantages, and limitations of each method.

1. Time Related Methods
Rijan Upadhyay
BCD
IIIrd Year

2. Contents
1. Daily Activities Schedule
2. Dream Map
3. Genealogy Map
4. Historical Transect
5. Time-line
6. Trend Analysis

3. 1. Daily Activities Schedule
• It is a popular PRA method used to explore the activities of an
individual, group or community, on a daily basis.
• It depicts various activities that individuals or groups are
involved in, along with the duration of those activities.
• The basis of temporal analysis is hours or periods of the day.

4. Application
• Enhance an understanding of who does what, when and
for how long.
• Increase general sensitization.
• Finalise timings of intervention.

5. Methods/Process
1. Explain the objectives of the exercise to the participants. Try to keep the group
homogenous and relatively small.
2. Initiate a discussion about the activities that they perform in a normal day. Ask them to list
the tasks or activities they perform from the time they wake up until the time they go to
bed.
3. Ask them to either write or preferably depict the activities by using visuals or symbols, and
ask them to organize the activities in such a way that it indicates the duration of the
activities.
4. Discuss the emerging details with the participants. The key points for discussion may
include: which activities they enjoy, how they feel when they utilize that time, etc.

6. Methods/Process (Contd…)
5. Keep a record of the proceedings and make a note of the points that
emerge during the discussions.
6. Copy the diagram on a piece of paper with details of the participants,
facilitators, locality, and date.
7. Thank the participants for their time and cooperation.
8. Triangulate the output generated and also the outcomes of the discussion
of the daily activity schedule. You can also observe the individuals or the
group and verify whether the output depicts reality.

7. Advantages and Limitations
• Useful means to gender sensitize a community. The separate daily activity
schedules of men and women create a basis for comparison, and allows
community members to discuss workload allocation. This helps to create
awareness about gender roles and clarify reasons for gender-based divisions
of labour and control over resources.
• Placing a person’s schedule in such a format does run the risk of routinising
people’s daily lives. Although, on some level, daily activities schedules do
reveal constructive patterns in the daily lives of a community.

8. Daily Activity Clocks (example of seasonal daily activities of men and women in
Dzinavene, Chivi District, Zimbabwe) - Women - Summer Wet Season

9. • It is used to understand the aspirations of local people. What
distinguishes a dream map from other types of maps is that it is an
exercise where community members speculates about the future.
• Not only does it reveal what changes people would like to see in their
lives and community, but the exercise may also uncover potential
solutions to obstacles facing the community.
2. Dream Map

10. Applications
• Understanding the dreams, aspirations, and perspectives of the
local people.
• Planning interventions in relation to areas where people desire
change.
• Monitoring the progress a community has made against the
standards or goals set by the community members themselves.

11. Methods/Process
1. Explain the purpose of the exercise to
the participants and ask them to draw a
map depicting the present situation.
2. Once the first map is completed, ask
the participants to visually illustrate
their aspirations for the community.
3. Once the dream map is made,
showcase the two maps and initiate a
discussion among the participants.
4. Ask them to list indicators against
which the realization of their dream
can be monitored.
5. Listen carefully to the ensuing
discussion, and take note of important
points.
6. Copy the maps with all the relevant
details.
7. Thank the participants for their time
and active involvement.

12. Advantages and Limitations
• It provides valuable insights into the present circumstances of a community, the
aspirations of the people, and possible ways of improving the situation. The process of
articulating their aspirations is a good motivator for many, as they can easily visualize
what they are aiming for and find ways of achieving their dream. Thus, if well-
facilitated, dream maps can significantly improve the quality of people's planning.
• At times, it may be difficult to keep participants grounded in reality as they share their
aspirations. It is quite easy to start fantasizing, and may also unnecessarily raise the
expectations of community members. In addition, lack of commitment in following up
on the outcomes of the dream map may further complicate the situation.

14. 3. Genealogy Map
• Genealogies provide a map of local communities in
kinship (relationship) terms.
• Also known as 'Family Tree Mapping’ as a series of steps
carried out in-order to map out an individual's ancestors'
big life events using historic maps and software tools.

15. Applications
• Map out the ancestors' big life events like births, deaths, marriages, immigration
and any other important life events.
• Use of old maps to solve place problems in genealogy research.
• If the ancestors seemed to have disappeared. Sometimes they might not have
migrated to another place but something else has changed like The City or The
country boundary, Street name or their addresses.
• We'll be able to track down through the census, City directory, tax or other records
available.

16. 1. Gather information for your family tree by doing some research. E.g. Gather Photos,
old documents, family heirlooms.
2. Decide how far to go back. In other words how many generations you want to
include in your family tree.
3. Decide what information you want to add, like Birth certificates, Hometown, Career,
Marriage certificates, Death certificates etc.
4. Find a family tree template and any application that can be used to add the data to
create the family tree.
Methods/Process

17. ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
PRINT MAPS
• The 'whole' map can be seen and
easier to be used
• Originality of the map helps to
gather a more accurate set of
information
• Can be difficult to handle cause of
the size and condition
• Can be hard to locate collections
because of inadequate cataloging
• Perhaps less accessible due to
private collections, loss of
documents etc..

18. Special Remarks
•We can use genealogy map digitally as a
research analysis tool and make a virtual tour
of ours family history through google earth.

20. 4. Historical Transect
• a visual representation of the time-based dimension of
people's reality
• It provides a clear picture of the evolution of a number
of different factors over time.

21. Applications
• This tool has been commonly used to explore the changes in
the availability of natural resources over a period of time.
• It also reveals potential causes behind the fluctuations in
such resources. Once these factors are established,
discussions can focus on preparing the communities for
periods of such change.

22. Methods/Process
1. Invite a group of local people who are interested in natural resources and who
are also familiar with the history of the community to participate in a discussion.
2. Explain the purpose of the exercise to the participants. Identify the aspects that
you would like to study from a historical perspective and also identify the time
landmarks that you would like to use.
3. Encourage the participants to use symbols or visuals to depict the landmark
years.
4. Draw a grid on the floor and place the cards marked with the important factors
that you would like to investigate horizontally and the time period cards vertically.

23. Methods/Process (Contd…)
5. Encourage a discussion among the participants on the historical
transect.
6. Remember that the output is not the final product. The subsequent
discussion and analysis are critical aspects of the process.
7. Copy the diagram on a sheet of paper with all details. Thank the
participants for their time and involvement.
8. Triangulate the output with other members of the community.

24. Advantages and Limitations
• Historical Transects provide a clear picture of the evolution of a
number of different factors over time. Local people usually find the
process easy to follow and the use of visuals and symbols to represent
these events generates a great deal of interest.
• However, some facilitators find the exercise difficult to manage,
particularly in communities with a strong oral tradition.

26. 5. Timeline
• It provides an ideal opportunity to capture the chronology of events in
an individual or community’s history. As opposed to being a chronicled
history, the Time Line represents important moments as perceived and
recalled by the people involved.
• This tool can serve as an effective connection builder, since people are
generally willing to recall and share important moments from their past.

27. Application
• To learn form the community what they consider to be important past events
• To understand from the community the historical perspective on current
issues
• To generate discussions on changes with respect to issues you are interested
in, e.g., education, health, food security, gender relations, economic
conditions, etc.
• To develop a relationship with the villagers, the past of the village is good
non-threatening and enjoyable starting point

28. Methods/Process
1. Identify some elderly persons
2. Explain to them the purpose of the
exercise
3. Ask them for more such events that
they would like to add
4. Add years to the left side of the list
of events
5. Initiate a discussion
6. Interview the time line
7. Note down the major events
8. You can focus on those aspects that
are your area of interest
9. Copy the details on to paper

29. Advantages and Limitations
• PRA exercise that prioritizes the participation of the elderly, and
emphasizes the contributions that they have to make.
• The exercise may become quite challenging if participants cannot
recall when events took place. It is also important to keep the
discussions focused, and to beware of deviations and tangents from
the topics of conversation.

31. 6. Trend Analysis
• A trend analysis captures changes and trends related to certain
variables over different spans of time. Such an exercise investigates the
trends in crop yield, livestock population, rainfall, etc. and provides
meaningful insights into the dynamics of change within a community.
• A 'before and after' type of analysis that identifies the changes that
have taken place across certain time milestones.

32. Applications
• Understand how the community perceives changes that have occurred over
time.
• Explore problems that have become more pressing in the village and why.
• Discuss development interventions that have taken place in the past, and
analyze the changes they have triggered.
• Create the appropriate environment for people to find solutions and plan for
the future.

33. Methods/Process
1. Select a group
2. Initiate a discussion on the present
situation
3. Also facilitate the selection of time
landmarks across
4. Ask participants to make the matrix on
the ground
5. Also find out new aspects
6. Ask to explain the diagram
7. Facilitate the discussion further to arrive
at the aspects of trend analysis.
8. Take up one of the aspects, ask the
participants to depict the situation
9. Interview the diagram
10. Copy the diagram
11. Thank the participants
12. Triangulate the diagram

34. Advantages and Limitations
• The discussion during the exercise, often uncovers the causes behind change
that has occurred, along with solutions of how to improve the present
situation.
• Trend analysis is not very suitable in the initial stages of the PRA work as it
can be too complex to manage without having a good understanding of
local people's reality. At times, it is important to be aware of people’s
tendency to glorify the past, which can lead to false analyses.

36. Source:
• http://unnat.iitd.ac.in/images/NewPdf/PRAmethods.pdf
• http://samgar2007.blogspot.com/2010/08/participatory-
rural-appraisal-tools-and.html