The evaluator tries to become accepted as a neighbor or participant rather than as an outsider. The purpose of such participation is not only to see what is happening but to feel what it is like to be part of the group. The extent to which this is possible depends on the characteristics of program participants, the type of questions being studied and the socio-political context of the setting. The strength of this approach is that the researcher is able to experience and presumably better understand any project impacts. The main weakness is that it is likely to alter the behavior that is being observed.
Direct observation tends to be at the other end of the participation spectrum.
It involves the systematic noting and recording of activities, behaviors and physical objects in the evaluation setting as an unobtrusive observer. It can often be a rapid an economical way of obtaining basic socio-economic information on households or communities. The main advantage of this method is that if participants are not aware that they are being observed, then they are less likely to change their behavior and compromise the validity of the evaluation. It is important to remember that there is a great deal of variation between the two extremes and that the extent of participation can change over time. For example, the evaluator may begin the observation as an outsider and gradually become a participant as the study evolves.