This World Bank resource charts out a Social Analysis/Assessment (SA) methodology - an approach designed to ensure that the social dimensions of development are fully addressed throughout the project cycle and at the policy level. Its purpose is to facilitate the coverage of gender issues by social analysis conducted by the Bank and project social assessments conducted by Bank clients. The premise is that projects benefit in terms of equity, efficiency, and sustainability by incorporating gender into social assessments.

The online resource consists in a page on the Bank's Gender and Development Group website. It is divided as a matrix with the title of the tool, objective of the tool, and notes on the tool detailed for each of the following tools:

• desk review
• household interview
• focus group discussion (FGD)
• direct observation
• semi-structured interviews
• case study
• stakeholder workshops

A second chart explores additional tools to be used as part of FGDs to capture information on specific topics of interest. These tools include:

• trend analysis
• day-time use analysis
• social mapping

To cite only one example, those interested in using social mapping may learn that this tool's purpose is to "provide a visual display of community members' perceptions of the physical dimension of their community in social and economic terms." The "notes" section offers practical suggestions, such as "Maps can be drawn on the ground by the participants or on regular paper. If on the ground, the participants could use different objects like twigs, stones, leaves, etc to differentiate various types of resources, and if on regular paper, the participants could use color markers to differentiate various types of resources. Maps on regular size paper are preferred as they could be included as part of the annex in the specific site report."

Posting to the Women's United Nations Report Network (WUNRN) ListServe, October 10 2008; and the Gender and Development Group page on the World Bank website, January 21 2009.