This report elaborates recommendations aimed at ASSAR’s Regional Research Teams (RRT) as they enter the transition between the Regional Diagnostic Studies (RDS) and the Regional Research Programmes(RRP), and as such, recommendations hope to influence the design and refining of research questions. The Oxfam team is committed to supporting the RRTs in this transition process by offering them tailored support.Funded by IDRC and DFID, and implemented by a consortium of five core partners: The University of Cape Town, the University of East Anglia, START, Oxfam GB and the Indian Institute for Human Settlements.: http://www.assar.uct.ac.za