New resource: Communications monitoring, evaluation and learning toolkit
The Uk-based Overseas Development Institute (ODI) has published a new resource “Communications monitoring, evaluation and learning toolkit“; the toolkit focuses mainly on how to monitor your communication outputs and has some handy indicators by channel.
Evaluation training – beginner to advanced
I was recently asked about training available on monitoring and evaluation and selected the following from the beginners to the advanced:
Beginners:
The larger evaluation associations run workshops alongside their annual or biannual conferences. I’ve attended these at the European Evaluation Society conference and they were very good and given by experts in the field; the same for the Australasian and American conferences:
EES workshops (from 2016 – next conference is October 2018).
AES (Australia) workshops (from 2017 – next conference is in September 2018)
AES (USA) workshops (from 2017 – next conference is in October 2018)
Intermediate:
For longer courses (3-5 days and blended learning), INTRAC, based in UK offer some very good courses: M&E, advanced M&E, Theory of Change.
For e-learning courses, TRAASS offer a series of self-paced evaluation courses: Evaluation report writing, Cutting-edge M&E, How to be a successful evaluation consultant, Managing the politics of evaluation.
Advanced:
The University of Melbourne, Australia offer a fully online masters in evaluation.
Claremont Evaluation Centre in the US offers a series of workshops over six days in August 2018 that can be taken online or in person: Basics of Evaluation & Applied Research Methods, Quasi Experimental Design, Survey Research Methods, Culturally Responsive Evaluation and more!
Full disclaimer: I am trainer for some of the TRAASS courses and have given a workshop previously at the 2017 AES (Australia) conference.
Inaugural event of the Vienna Evaluation Network – 16 January 2018
The newly formed Vienna Evaluation Network are holding their first event – so I’d encourage you to attend if you are in or close to Vienna, Austria! Further information:
Topic: Evaluating effectiveness of complex interventions: Challenges in using RCTs
Based on a systematic effectiveness evaluation for a school-based health promotion program for physical activity in the classroom the presentation focuses on selected major methodological challenges faced and develops suggestions for future implementation of RCT for evaluating complex interventions. Guest speaker: Ludwig Grillich, Danube University Krems.
The presentation will last about 30 minutes. Thereafter, the participants will have about 30 to 45 minutes to ask questions, discuss the topic, and exchange experiences. For anyone interested we can continue our conversation in a café nearby.
Where: The venue is Berggasse 17/3, the third-floor conference room of the European Centre for Welfare Policy and Research. You cross the court and find the entrance right in front of you.
When: 16 January 2018, 2 to 3.15pm
New resource: Contribution Analysis – assessing advocacy influence
As a long time fan of contribution analysis for advocacy evaluation, I was very interested to see this new handbook on Contribution Analysis in Policy Work – Assessing Advocacy’s Influence (pdf). The handbook takes you the steps of contribution analysis with examples provided.
New resource: Social network analysis handbook
I just came 
across this straight forward and practical guide to social network analysis (pdf) from the International Rescue Committee – well worth a read if you are interested in this method for your research and evaluation.
New paper: big data and communications
The infographic below says it all (nearly..) on this very interesting paper on the implications of big data for communications and PR; big data should support better insights, decisions – and measurement and evaluation for communications – that’s the hope anyway! Read the full paper here>>
New guide on measurement for communication professionals
A new guide on measurement for communication and PR professionals has been published by an alliance of communication associations.
The guide contains a series of informative articles from the perspective of PR agencies and measurement professionals with practical hints and tips. View the guide here>>.
New insights on design and evaluation
I recently attended the International Evaluation Conference of the Australasian Evaluation Society in September 2017 and one of the more interesting sessions I attended was on design and evaluation. This was all about the notion of the design phase of a project or service and how evaluators can be well placed to contribute to this phase. You can learn more in this post by Matt Healey, a speaker at this session.
New ILO guidelines for evaluation
The International Labour Office (ILO) has released their new guidelines for evaluation (pdf). Although the guidelines are specific to the ILO, the guidelines contain many useful chapters for evaluators and evaluation commissioners in general, for example on the steps for planning and managing and evaluation and communicating the results. View the guidelines here (pdf)>>
Spotting dubious data
ACAPS has produced a great poster on “Spotting Dubious Data”. They make reference to humanitarian action but it applies across all sectors. Below is a simplified version of the poster.
I think particularly point 1. is often ignored when looking at data – WHY was this data collected…
intelligent measurement 