Using your evaluation: Communicating, reporting, 1. improving 2. 3. 4. Who What (Content) How (Format) When © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 1 Why communicate? Success is judged by how much our evaluations and the findings are USED. We don’t conduct evaluations for them to sit on the shelf. Evaluation provides opportunity for learning and we are educators! “The proper function of evaluation is to speed up the learning process by communicating what might otherwise be overlooked or wrongly perceived. The evaluator, then, is an educator. His success is to be judged by his success in communication; that is by what he leads others to understand and believe. Payoff comes from the insight that the evaluator’s work generates in others.” - L. J. Cronbach Cronbach, L.J. (1982). Designing evaluations of educational and social programs. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, p. 8. © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 2 Myths • One report is enough. • People read written reports. • Complex analysis and big words impress people. • Oral reports have the same effect as written reports. • Describing limitations weakens report. • Everything should be reported. • The audience knows why they are getting the report. © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 3 There are lots of ways to communicate our evaluation results. Which have you used? • Written report - long, short, summary • Success story • Impact statement; spotlight • Elevator story • Press release • Media appearance • At a public meeting • Memo, email, fax, postcard • Newsletter • Personal discussion • Bulletin, brochure • Display/exhibit • Audio/video presentation © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 4 “Start with the end in mind” Hopefully, you had a plan for using your information when you started your evaluation. It would include: WHO? do you want to reach WHAT? will you report HOW? will you do it WHEN? will you report © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 5 # 1 WHO do you want to reach? Potential Users • • • • • • • • Program staff Youth participants Parents Volunteers Your tenure committee Funders Program Committee Collaborating agencies; partners • Schools boards, parentteacher organizations • County board/City council (elected and appointed officials) • Community at large • Church organizations • State legislators • Professional organizations • The Extension and research community • Businesses; business groups • Police – law enforcement © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 6 #2 WHAT will you say, share, report, communicate?? • What does the target audience care about? • What do you want the audience to learn – understand? • What type of information resonates with the audience: numbers, quotes, stories? • What data will the target audience find compelling, trustworthy? • What is your story? © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 7 # 3 HOW will you communicate – what format(s) will you use? • • • • • • • • • • • • Report Impact statement Executive summary Email, memo Personal discussion Display, exhibit Press release Newsletter, bulletin Poster Slide presentation Published article ?????? University of Wisconsin-Extension programs serving the 98th Assembly District Overview Cooperative Extension - 72 county offices - Family Living Programs - 4-H Youth Development - Community, Natural Resources and Economic Development - Agriculture and Natural Resources Education - Geologic and Natural History Survey - 1.4 million educational contacts per year Continuing Education - Partnerships with 26 UW System campuses - UW-Learning Innovations - School for Workers - 162,000 enrollments per year Broadcasting & Media Innovations - Wisconsin Public Television - Wisconsin Public Radio - Instructional Communications Systems - Nearly 1 million viewers and listeners per week Representative Marc Duff Waukesha County Extension — The Waukesha County UW-Extension Cooperative Extension office has developed partnerships with numerous organizations to deliver educational programs addressing local needs. The Waukesha County Extension office developed a Hunger in Waukesha County Nutrition Survey for area communities. These communities also receive nutrition education services through the Waukesha County Nutrition Education Program at sites like the WIC clinics, elderly nutrition sites and food pantries. For the past two years, budgeting, nutrition and food safety have been taught through Waukesha County Extension’s Nutrition Education Program at the Waukesha County Jail. The program also links inmates to resources that will be available to them once they are released. The Nutritional Education Program also works with individuals with drug and alcohol abuse problems who are living at the Waukesha County Huber Facility. The program focuses on healthy eating and the effects of drugs and alcohol on the body, food safety and budgeting. The Waukesha County Extension office provided leadership to a collaboration of 14 agencies/organizations serving children and families to conduct a twoto-three-year program to disseminate research and conduct comprehensive training about early learning and brain development of infants and children. Waukesha County Extension offers a Grant Opportunities Newsletter, which identifies grants available to the community from a variety of state and federal agencies as well as local foundations. The list includes federal agencies, such as the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Labor and Employment and Training Administration, and state entities including the Department of Workforce Development, Department of Administration - Division of Housing, TEACH, Department of Transportation, Department of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin Advanced Telecommunications Foundation. The Waukesha County Extension-Urban Initiative Program in Sussex will address neighborhood revitalization, building a sense of community, crime and public safety. In 2001 the program received a $10,000 Community Development Block Grant which will allow expansion of the partnership and implementation of an action plan in at-risk, troubled neighborhoods. Small Business Development Centers - 13 campus-based centers - Wisconsin Innovation Service Center - 15,000 hours of counseling per year www.uwex.edu info@uwex.edu (608) 262-3786 The Parenting the First Year newsletter is distributed through Community Memorial Hospital in Menomonee Falls with funding from the local Kiwanis club. The Parenting the Second and Third Year newsletter is distributed through Community Memorial under a grant from the Child Abuse Prevention Fund (CAP). The project currently is being evaluated in order to measure the value to parents. As a result of this partnership, parenting education programs such as Home Alone, Parenting Your Teen and Discipline vs. Punishment are also offered. © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 8 # 4 When will you communicate? • • • • • • Monthly? Quarterly? Annually Whenever I have a chance When requested? ??? © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 9 Be prepared with an “Elevator story” A succinct, attention grabbing story that can be communicated in a short elevator ride. Be armed and ready with your best 30-second story! Your story is important. Your job is to make sure decision makers know it. You never know when opportunity might knock! © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 10 Success stories and annual accomplishment reports are ways we report in UWEX They demonstrate that we are responsible and accountable for our public dollars. See the guidelines and samples that are posted on this web site. © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 11 Success story and reporting outlines tie back to the logic model : SRRE Components of a Success Story University of Wisconsin-Extension, Program Development and Evaluation © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 12 Success Story SRRE Situation: Situation What is the situation – the problem, concern, issue that needed to be addressed? Local, regional or state information about the issue. Succinct and compelling. Response: Response INPUTS and OUTPUTS: What did Extension do? What did we contribute? Who participated/benefited? #s of key demographics of participants Results: Results Evidence: Evidence OUTCOMES: What changed? For whom? What is the value of the change? What does this mean? What was learned? What evaluation did you conduct – how do you know that the results are accurate and credible? © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 13 Ingredients of a Good Success Story • Captures attention of reader • Provides a compelling, convincing story • Gives specific outcomes (e.g., money saved, skills increased, practices changed, actions taken) • Includes numbers and narrative • Based on reliable, credible information • Presents balanced, fair assessment • Uses succinct, clear writing © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 14 Use graphics and design to make the information interesting and easy to understand • • • • Charts and graphs Overheads Pamphlets Reports © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 15 Discuss limitations of the evaluation Written reports: • Be explicit about your limitations Oral reports: • Be prepared to discuss limitations • Be honest about limitations • Know the claims you cannot make – Do not claim causation without a true experimental design – Do not generalize to the population without random sample and quality administration (e.g., <60% response rate on a survey) © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 16 Formal evaluation reports typically include… • Abstract/executive summary • Introduction – Purpose of the evaluation; key questions – Program background, description • Methods/procedures – Data sources – Data collection procedures – Sampling – Limitations • Results • Discussion • Conclusions/recommendations • References • Appendices © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 17 Reporting results to the media All Media: • Avoid using too many statistics. • Focus on the key points. • For quotes, speak more globally about the issue. • Always give the source and timeliness of your stats. It’s the “news peg.” Steve Busalacchi Director, News & Information Wisconsin Medical Society © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 18 Reporting results to the media Radio and TV: • Do not offer exact statistics – ear cannot track. “73.6% of respondents” vs. “Nearly three quarters of those surveyed” • Don’t go into great detail. Have backup info ready. Steve Busalacchi Director, News & Information Wisconsin Medical Society © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 19 As you write and talk, remember these tips for effective communications • Tailor the message to the topic and the audience • Avoid jargon and technical terms • Be clear, concise • Use active voice • Eliminate wordiness • Check writing, grammar • Be accurate, balanced, impartial • Be timely • Use graphics, quotes, photos, real stories • Consult a communications specialist • Write-rewrite-rewrite © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 20 You’ve spent time and resources doing your evaluation… make sure it isn’t ignored Here are some tips: • • • • • Engage stakeholders in doing the evaluation (in the design, data collection, in analysis, interpretation of results), then they “own” the evaluation and are more likely to use it and share it with others. Get the information to the right people – target people who should care about the evaluation Address issues that people think are important – while you may think everything in the evaluation is interesting and important, your audience may not. Customize your communications to each audience. Keep it in front of people; keep talking about the evaluation and what was learned Be timely: Share information when it is most likely to be used; when the ‘time is right’ and people are ‘ready to listen’. © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 21 And, remember… “Think like a wise man, but communicate in the language of the people.” − William Butler Yeats © 2009 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension, Program Development and Evaluation 22