PARTICIPATORY EVALUATION – Focusing on formative evaluation and using facilitation approaches to collect data

Evaluation can be challenging. In complex environments, conventional approaches have unintended consequences and it’s often hard to resolve competing needs for evidence of success and for allowing for the constructive processing of failure.

This workshop, which is customised for specific clients, explores a range of approaches with an emphasis on formative evaluation – allowing evaluation to support growth and change.

Our Approach

There are some key principles that underpin our approach to training which would be incorporated in the design and delivery of this workshop.

Participatory
We use approaches that are participatory so as you can feel what it’s like to participate and then learn to use these techniques yourself.

Incorporates participant experiences and knowledge
We draw on your own experience and knowledge and incorporate that into the program, enabling us to share, and learn from, group-generated knowledge and insights.

Real-world application
We ask you to come to this training with a real application in mind so as you can be equipped to use what you learn immediately, thereby increasing the potential that you will actually use your new skills.

Focuses on noticing
Something is always happening, changing.  We also focus on building your skills in noticing what is actually happening (compared with what should be happening) and being able to respond in the moment to take advantage of those surprising opportunities that emerge.

On-going support
We provide on-going support to participants with social media, email and skype – whatever is appropriate for your needs.

Sample Program

The final program will be developed with the participants based on their needs and could include the following:

Sociometry and Action Methods
Measuring individual and group relationships, strength of support, interest and concern. Would include continuums and category sociometry, and applications such as the dart board for pre- and post-evaluation of understanding, knowledge etc.

ORID
ORID stands for objective, reflective, interpretive, decisional – and is a framework developed to lead group discussions. It can also be applied to gathering data from groups, for designing surveys and as a reporting framework.

Group conversation and synthesis processes
These processes provide opportunities for groups to take part in conversations about the relevant topic and to synthesize their thinking and opinions into the most important topics which can then be used for further research and/or analysis. These processes include World Cafe Lite and Full Circle.

Presence and noticing
This is about building personal capacity to be present to what is actually happening and respond in the moment by improvising based on your existing skills and knowledge combined with the resources available in the moment (including the group). While this is less about actual techniques, it is about knowing when and where to use what you already know.

Story and narrative techniques
Using tools such as Visual Explorer or Photolanguage, and narrative approaches such as JumpStart Stories, the Story Spine and Playback Theatre approaches to elicit experiences from participants.

Messaging
Sharing evaluation findings is about sharing the message, not just information. We explore how to turn information into messages that are memorable and have impact.

For more information please email me or call +61 417 135 406.

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