What is Transect Walk?
A transect walk is a mapping exercise that uses a systematic walk along a defined path within a community with local people. It is a participatory research method that explores environmental and social resources, conditions, and systems by listening, asking, observing and producing a transect diagram alongside community members. (1)
Transect walks highlight land use and the location and distribution of resources such as water and communal areas. Information collected can be used to reveal land use practices, hazards and vulnerabilities to inform disaster mitigation and water management.
How has it been used in the NTD space?
Inform WASH Strategies
Transect diagrams can explore water and sanitation conditions in a community that worsen risk factors for NTDs. Data can be used to inform community WASH infrastructure or behaviour for disease mitigation. (2)
Identifying MDA Routes/Locations
Engaging community leaders to walk along common routes in their communities can identify structures and buildings within the community where people commonly gather and interact. Mass drug administration processes can benefit from using those structures through sensitization, mobilization, communication and drug administration. (3)
How do you do it?
Protocol adapted from here
Transect walks can take two to three hours. Following the walk, a transect diagram is produced and analyzed with community members. For larger areas where a transect walk may take longer than four hours to produce a diagram, it is recommended to divide into smaller transect segments that can then be combined later.
Engaging in conversation along the transect offer an opportunity to understand how community members perceive physical and social characteristics within their environment.
Transect walks usually include the following processes:
- Identify a group of key informants
- Discuss the purpose of the transect walk
- With community members, decide on the route to be conducted
- Develop criteria for observation and what parameters should be used for recording
- Conduct the transect by engaging in conversation throughout and stopping at relevant/important landmarks
- Produce transect map and main findings with community members
Sample of a Transect Map
Once you complete the transect, sit down with your participants to draw an outline of the area walked. Encourage participants to reflect on different areas to get a sense of how the community functions. A grid exploring different areas of the transect can help with organizing and analyzing information. (3)
Why use it?
Transect walks engages research teams with local communities, their inhabitants, and their area. It can help identify problems and possibilities perceived by different groups of local analysts regarding resource use and access to resources in various parts of the transect visited.
It provides an understanding of local practices and customs, and can also support site selection, such as where to place public toilets, composting units, wells, etc. (4)
Studies using Transect Walk within the NTDs space
Participatory guide for planning equitable mass administration of medicines (PGP) to Tackle NTD
References
1. Keller S. Transect Walk [Internet]. Sustainable Sanitation and Water Management. Available from: https://sswm.info/humanitarian-crises/urban-settings/planning-process-tools/exploring-tools/transect-walk#:~:text=A transect walk is a,and producing a transect diagram.
2. Mulopo C, Mbereko A, Chimbari MJ. Community mapping and transect walks to determine schistosomiasis risk factors related to WASH practices in KwaZulu-Natal. Waterlines. 2020;39(4):253–76.
3. COUNTDOWN. Participatory guide for planning equitable mass administration of medicines (PGP) to Tackle Neglected Tropical Diseases [Internet]. 2021. Available from: https://countdown.lstmed.ac.uk/sites/default/files/centre/Countdown PGP-Module 2A-Enhancing community engagement for participatory planning.pdf
4. Transect Walk [Internet]. Episcopal Relief & Development. Available from: https://jliflc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Transect-Walk.pdf
Blog and Infographic created by: Jacie Liu
