Independent South African research agency
We help government institutions, development agencies, NGOs and businesses evaluate programmes, understand communities and act on reliable evidence.
About WISE
Established on 21 August 2023, WISE Research Consulting & Services translates complex social and economic realities into clear evidence for policy, strategy and programme improvement.
We combine scientific rigour with local insight, partnering with clients across the full research cycle—from inception and fieldwork to analysis, reporting and dissemination.
Our approach →Mandate, vision & mission
WISE connects credible research, community knowledge and practical action to advance social and economic development.
WISE conducts commissioned research and advisory work and develops public programmes that connect knowledge with social and economic development. Its extended mandate has four pillars: rural opportunity and livelihoods; research capacity; heritage and community knowledge; and evidence for policy. WISE applies its research and evaluation services across these pillars.
A society in which credible research and community knowledge inform fairer opportunities, stronger programmes and better public decisions.
WISE produces ethical, practical research and evaluation; strengthens emerging research capacity; and works with communities and institutions to turn evidence into action for social and economic development.
What we do
Focused services for organisations that need defensible evidence and practical direction.
WISE examines whether a programme reaches its intended participants, delivers its activities effectively and produces meaningful results. We develop or review theories of change, results frameworks and indicators, then assess performance, outcomes and impact where the evidence and design allow.
We agree on evaluation questions and criteria, review programme records, gather perspectives from beneficiaries and delivery partners, analyse findings across sources, and validate practical recommendations. Outputs can include an inception report, data collection tools, an evaluation report and an actionable improvement plan.
WISE designs surveys, interviews, focus groups, tracer studies and other research suited to the question. We support sampling, questionnaire and interview guide design, fieldworker preparation, ethical data collection, cleaning, coding and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
We define the research questions with the client, select an appropriate method, pilot instruments, collect and check data, and analyse results using suitable tools, including SPSS, NVivo or ATLAS.ti where appropriate. We deliver clear findings, limitations, datasets or coded outputs where agreed, and recommendations grounded in the evidence.
WISE helps organisations understand customer needs and experiences, test the strength of a brand or service, assess demand and examine competitors and market conditions. The work can inform product development, service improvement, positioning and entry into new markets.
We clarify the decision at stake, identify relevant customer and market segments, combine desk research with surveys or interviews where needed, and compare the evidence across groups. Findings are translated into an opportunity and risk assessment with practical options for action.
WISE reviews policies and strategies, researches local development needs, facilitates community and stakeholder consultations, and supports planning and monitoring for public institutions. This includes evidence that can inform integrated development plans and programme priorities.
We map the policy context and stakeholders, review available data and documents, gather local perspectives, identify implementation gaps and feasible responses, then prepare accessible briefs, consultation findings or strategic recommendations for decision makers.
Our process
Every engagement is structured around quality, ethics and decisions the client can implement.
Inception, stakeholder consultation and research questions.
Methodology, instruments, sampling and ethical review.
Secure, quality-controlled primary and secondary data.
Analysis, triangulation and stakeholder validation.
Clear reporting, dissemination and implementation support.
Our expertise
Selected commissioned and academic work demonstrates how WISE connects rigorous methods with real-world decisions.
SAFETY AND SECURITY SECTOR
WISE was appointed in August 2024 by the Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA) to conduct an evaluation study on SASSETA’s contribution to the transformation of the safety and security sector.
SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW
WISE is developing the academic paper A systematic literature review of multidimensional challenges faced by young people in accessing productive agricultural land in South Africa. This work is ongoing.
Start a conversation
Tell us about your organisation, project and intended outcomes. WISE will respond with an appropriate research approach.
Social engagement
Research with
communities and partners.
WISE uses research and evaluation expertise to create accessible opportunities for learning, dialogue and local development.
Rural Opportunity & Livelihoods
Career and opportunity drives connect rural learners and jobseekers with guidance, training pathways and practical referrals. Enterprise diagnostics and market studies support informed decisions by rural organisations.
Research Capacity
One capacity-building programme brings together the annual emerging researchers winter school, university methods clinics and practical workshops. Participants develop ethical fieldwork, data-analysis, research software and writing skills. WISE guides learning; it does not produce assessed student work.
Heritage & Community Knowledge
Museum partnerships, oral-history work and public lectures document local experience and explore its relevance to social and economic development.
Evidence for Policy
Community policy labs bring residents, researchers and institutions together to examine livelihood, skills, service-access and climate questions and translate findings into accessible briefs.
Partnership and sustainability
Activities are designed with appropriate institutional and community partners, with clear roles, costs, ethics, data use and publication rights. WISE measures participation, learning, referrals and evidence use while protecting research independence and individual consent.