We prefer to use participatory process to generate a collaborative outcomes report. There are key learning and reflection opportunities throughout the process for key stakeholders to be involved. Participation in the process of discovery and analysis also engenders ownership and increases the chances that findings will be acted upon. More…

A suggested process for conducting a performance story report follows:

Participation can occur at all stages of this process:

1. In the planning workshop. In this workshop the program logic is surfaced, existing data is identified and evaluation questions developed. Consultants play the role of facilitation and documentation.

2. In the data trawl. Program staff may be enlisted to help with the collation of data, although in our experience Clear Horizon consultants have led this process as the evaluation managers.

3. The social inquiry process. Volunteers can be given a short training session in interviewing and with the help of an interview guide can conduct the interviews. This is a very effective way to involve staff in the data where there is sufficient enthusiasm around the process. Otherwise consultants or the evaluation managers conduct all or a proportion of the interviews.

4. Outcomes panel. People with relevant scientific, technical, or sectoral knowledge are brought together and presented with a range of evidence compiled by the consultants. They are then asked to assess the contribution of the intervention towards goals given the available knowledge. We call this a outcomes panel that is facilitated by consultants. It is sometimes also referred to as an expert panel.

5. Summit workshop. At a large workshop instances of significant change are selected and key findings and recommendations are synthesised. The summit should involve broad participation of key stakeholders such as program staff and community members.

6. (Re-assessing the logic). Sometimes we also run a “re-logic” workshop, where we synthesise the recommendations into a refreshed logic model to guide the program into the future. This is most useful if the findings suggest a significantly new understanding of how the program is working.