Having worked as a Sociologist under the guidance of an International Multi-Disciplinary team of experts in a DANIDA funded Rural Water Supply and Sanitation project in the Matale and Polonnaruwa Districts I gained experience in carrying out integrated participatory research and practice in the rural and estate sectors of Sri Lanka. It was also a period of research, innovation and inter agency cooperation stimulated by the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade and participatory development. Therefore I was best positioned to learn how to translate participatory development concept and theory to practice and monitor outcomes. As Research, Evaluation and Programme Information Manager and Programme Support Manager at Plan International Sri Lanka from 1992-2017 my experience in strategic planning, rolling out of corporate programme management systems and knowledge management helped me to advance my research and analytical skills and the ability to manage organizational change from a traditional “community development” approach to social development strategy and practice. As such transitions are costly in terms of human and financial resources, I was responsible for the thought process and strategy for making agile strategic shifts without compromising programme quality and accountability.