Why the baseline decides everything
A baseline is not a formality. It is the reference point every later claim about change is measured against. When the baseline is weak, the endline cannot be strong, no matter how well the follow up data is collected.
Three decisions that protect a baseline
- Sampling discipline. A representative sample, drawn from a frame that matches the programme's actual reach, is what allows results to be generalised at all.
- Enumerator training. Field officers who understand why each question matters collect materially better data than those who only know how to ask it.
- Measurement clarity. Indicators must be defined before tools are written, or the tools quietly redefine the study.
Our field protocol pairs every baseline with a data quality plan: spot checks in the first three days of collection, daily upload reviews, and a documented decision log for every protocol deviation. It costs a little more. It is the difference between evidence and anecdote.