Getting outcomes creds and saving time! September 25, 2009
Posted by Paul Duignan in : Doing evaluation more efficiently, Accountability, Outcomes systems architecture, Philanthropy, Strategic planning, Using the approach, Easy Outcomes, Outcomes models, Standards, DoView , add a commentPublic sector organizations these days have two important imperatives: establishing that they are truly ‘results and outcomes-focused’ while also becoming more efficient in their internal organizational activity. The really good news in the outcomes area is that using a central tool of outcomes work - outcomes models (a particular type of visual model of all of the high-level outcomes the organization is seeking to achieve and the steps it is taking to do so) is that organizations and programs can do both at the same time. (more…)
Using an outcomes modeling approach to action research September 9, 2009
Posted by Paul Duignan in : Doing evaluation more efficiently, Using the approach, Outcomes models, Easy Outcomes , add a commentWill get back to blogging on the Australasian Evaluation Society Conference when I get a moment (may not be for a few days). In the meantime had to prepare an article about using outcomes modeling as a basic tool within an action research approach. Because outcomes modeling - developing visual outcomes models (like a type of logic model, or theory of change model) - according to the outcomes theory set of standards for building such models is a generic process, such models can be used for a wide range of purposes. They can, for instance, be used within an action research approach. Action research is an approach which attempts to work in cycles of research/action/research. It has the great virtue of ensuring that research is connected to action and action is connected to research.
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The Taxi Driver and ‘why don’t you just measure outcomes’ - on the way to AES conference September 1, 2009
Posted by Paul Duignan in : Outcomes systems architecture, Reporting systems, Measurement, Doing evaluation more efficiently, Outcomes models, Using the approach, Easy Outcomes , add a commentOn my way to the Australasian Evaluation Society Conference in Canberra my taxi driver in from the airport asked me what I do. When I explained that I ‘measure whether programs, often government programs, work or not so the taxpayer gets value for money’, he was right into the concept. Although I think he thought that I was over complicating things a little. He said: ’shouldn’t it just be a matter of using statistics to measure if things are getting better or not about a program.’ What he was talking about was one aspect of monitoring and evaluation - an important piece - but just one of the Five Building Blocks I see lying behind all monitoring and evaluation systems (outcomes systems). (more…)