Approaching Independent Evaluation

A three-step action process:

• Identify evaluation principled criteria
• Gather and sift multiple stakeholder evaluation inputs
• Feedback to consolidate co-creation of knowledge and inform action

Principled criteria informing evaluation

Opening phase - to evaluate the ways in which the Project has fulfilled the ambition set for the initiative at its inception. In the spirit of developmental evaluation, so as to ensure not only information generation, but educated reflection and knowledge transfer to participants, an accent is on engaging as many stakeholders as possible not only as sources of ‘data’ for evaluation, but to co-create the research focus and design.

First step - to determine what indicators should apply to assess the evolution and outcome of the initiative – matched to ambition as perceived by the various stakeholders. A multi-source assessment methodology is proposed with engaging with people and other sources with a stake in the venture.

Gather and sift evaluation inputs

Such discussion will be part of a virtuous circle of evaluation.
First step - to understand through partnership interaction what to ask and how to ask it.
Second step - to revisit these ‘sites of data’ to be able to pursue the inquiry in depth.

Feeding back to inform action

Feeding back as a third partnership interaction: to local authority as well as Marsh Farm participants – in focus group format to capture reactions to what has been discovered to consolidate and ‘reality check’ emergent lessons learned.
This third phase will be linked to an evaluation of Organisation Workshop.

Contact Information

Dr Samar Baddar
E: samar.baddar@beds.ac.uk