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Section 1 Introduction

1.04 The principles of the guidance

This guidance is intended to be positive and practical. It is not prescriptive but aims to encourage fuller understanding of and confidence in using the full range of methodologies, both quantitative and qualitative, for researching service users’ views. The emphasis is on assisting social landlords to address some of the deficiencies identified through the inspection process in order to achieve better practice.

The guidance refers to research and consultation. These terms are often used interchangeably in the wider literature. Our definition of research is any systematic approach to seeking feedback from customers or service users as individuals or groups. This includes both quantitative and qualitative methods and, importantly, is not confined to the use of statistically representative samples. Consultation is usually taken to mean some form of democratic process, sometimes a more participatory approach, which allows service users to give their views about a policy or service. Consultation exercises will often use qualitative methods, but with less attention to the rigour and quality of the approach than would be the case in a research process. Consultation is also used as an umbrella term, for example, in Best Value, to mean broadly ‘seeking the views of customers’. Our approach is to refer to ‘research and consultation’ to encompass quantitative and qualitative research and consultation whether undertaken with individuals or groups and with varying degrees of participation in the process.

This guidance reflects the principles of the National Standards for Community Engagement and develops these in relation to the process of research and consultation. The National Standards highlight;

• the importance of equality and recognising the diversity of people and communities

• the importance of a clear sense of purpose

• the use of effective methods for achieving change

• the need to build on the skills and knowledge of all those involved

• a commitment to learning for continuous improvement.

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