Evaluation can involve numbers, stories, experiences, or a combination of all three. Understanding how these different types of data work together can help organizations ask better questions, make stronger decisions, and communicate impact more clearly.
The Data Decoded Guide introduces qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research in a simple, practical way for nonprofit organizations, community programs, and social impact teams. It is designed for people who may be newer to evaluation and want to better understand the strengths, limitations, and uses of different approaches to collecting and interpreting data.
The guide begins by breaking down the basics. Quantitative data helps organizations understand what happened through numbers, counts, percentages, and measurable outcomes. Qualitative data helps explain why or how something happened through interviews, focus groups, observations, and lived experiences. A mixed methods approach brings both together to create a fuller picture.
The resource also introduces three common mixed methods designs:
- Convergent design: Where qualitative and quantitative data are collected during the same time period and interpreted together.
- Explanatory sequential design: Where quantitative findings are followed by qualitative data to better understand what is behind the numbers.
- Exploratory sequential design: Where qualitative findings are used to inform or develop a quantitative tool, such as a survey.
Real-world examples show how these approaches can strengthen evaluation and learning. For example, a survey might show that participants experienced improved outcomes, while interviews help explain what contributed to those changes. Together, the findings can provide both evidence of impact and a deeper understanding of how that impact occurred.
This resource is particularly useful for:
- Organizations new to evaluation or research.
- Teams deciding between qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods approaches.
- Programs designing evaluations, needs assessments, or community engagement efforts.
- Staff who want to better combine numerical data with community voice.
- Organizations seeking to strengthen how they use data for learning and decision-making.
At BSRI, we see mixed methods as a way to connect evidence with lived experience. When used thoughtfully, different types of data can help organizations better understand outcomes and experiences, tell stronger impact stories, make more informed decisions, and build evaluation practices that are both rigorous and people-centered.
