Real World Evaluation

We are offering one day, pay per place workshops that aim to share NDTi’s grounded experience in designing, conducting and learning from evaluation work. The forthcoming event is as follows:

• Real World Evaluation workshop – Collecting and analysing evaluation data & Using learning to inform change

Ever wondered if and how your work is making a difference? Or whether a service model / approach you’ve tried in one place will work elsewhere? These questions have never been more pertinent than in the current economic climate. NDTi’s approach to evaluation builds on Realist Evaluation methodology, which aims not just to answer ‘is this model / service / approach working?’ but also ‘how is it working?’, ‘who is it working for?’ and ‘what are the critical factors that make it work here?.

Over the past 10 years NDTi has developed extensive experience of successfully applying this methodology, at all levels from UK wide programmes to local pilots, to enable a wide variety of clients and partners to gain invaluable understanding about their work.

“The evaluation did what we wanted it to do. It gave us a lot of evidence, a lot more than we had before. Really, really good reports.”

“They had a really inclusive manner, which put everyone at their ease. They imparted knowledge, challenged us but in a very skilled and understated way. We often didn’t realise we were being moved on!”

(Quotes from previous evaluation clients)

After the successful running of the introductory workshop last January, we are repeating this in May (see dates above). We have also planned some follow up workshops that explore different aspects of evaluation in more depth:

• The morning session will focus on data; Organising, working with and analysing different kinds of data (including methodologies and techniques for collecting, collating, presenting and making sense of different sets of data and information)
• The afternoon session will look at how we use and apply the learning created through evaluations to bring about change. This includes sessions on engaging and working with key partners and stakeholders, creating a learning environment, identifying the big themes and actions needed, and embedding this learning so it is not simply forgotten about once the evaluation has ended.

This day will be invaluable for people who:

• Have a particular piece of evaluation work in mind, or are unsure how to go about evaluating a particular service, programme or activity stream.
• Want to find out more about Realist Evaluation, and how to apply this methodology to their work
• Want to learn from people who practice this on a daily basis and understand the complexities involved.