We administer surveys, conduct interviews and focus groups, and observe program activities. We also work with districts and organizations to gather existing data.
Building organizations’ capacity to evaluate their programs is becoming of greater interest to organizations as they face increased demands for accountability. We work with programs and organizations to build staff knowledge and skills around evaluation best practices, train staff to collect data, and to understand and interpret their data.
Our goal is to use measurement tools that will effectively answer the questions outlined in the evaluation plan. We assess the best method for collecting the data and review available instruments to identify whether validated measures exist for the constructs of interest. We search, select, and formulate questions that capture the constructs we intend to measure. We perform pilot tests and adapt instruments where needed.
Some clients have a backlog of data with nobody to analyze it. We work with clients to develop evaluation questions around their existing data and conduct the analyses. This might involve collating data across multiple sources, which is something we actually enjoy doing. When possible to create a comparison group using existing data, we encourage clients to do so to increase the rigor of the design. We use statistical matching techniques to create similar groups for comparison purposes.
Depending on the client’s needs, a report or presentation might accompany secondary data analysis. We offer anything from 1 or 2-page infographics or briefs to lengthy descriptive reports. We can also develop PowerPoint presentations for clients to share.