A good conflict assessment framework is not enough. Inaccurate or inadequate data put into a perfect framework will still result in a faulty conflict assessment. This wastes time and money on interventions that do not work.

This handbook includes guidance on the research process including how to:

Gather data sources that are accurate, reliable and triangulated. Data sources include books, reports, blogs, news articles, twitter feeds, polling, interviews, focus groups, observations and the interactive methods described in this handbook for use in multi-stakeholder workshops.

Evaluate the quality of each data source.Identify gaps in data or places where there is uncertain or contradictory data. Identify hypotheses for why data may be conflicting. Make a plan to gather further information. Researchers should ask:

• What information are we missing?
• Whose perspectives do we need to seek out?
• What research process could we use to discover this information?