Putting together a final report Dr Chris Lanigan Policy and Research Manager

Context Howdon Surestart The North Tyneside Council research team Own experience of evaluations

The Challenge

The Challenge >20 individual projects / reports Several staff members involved Lack of “big picture” focus from the start Adding up the little pictures doesn’t work!

Focus and Structure What was / is the big picture? Why were we doing the evaluation? What were the big questions we wanted to answer

Over to you…. What is your evaluation trying to find out In one sentence!

…erm, that’s really hard Howdon Research Team did not document this (or even do it?) at the start First step: get original team together and think backwards

Step 2: Overall aims understood What questions do we need to pose (and answer) to give a view of the big picture What sub-questions lie underneath these (Howdon report = page 19)

Step 3 Which research projects are relevant to which research questions? Develop an Issues versus Investigations grid (more on this later) Get team to fill it in (re-read old reports if necessary)

Issues versus Investigations grid 1.1 A, B, C, D 1.2 B, C, E, F, G

Step 4 Read reports (or at least the findings) Answer the questions! (via the Report Grid – page 25-48 of Howdon Report) For the gaps, gather information that was never collected or reported on

The Report Grid Issues Findings (+ refs.) Conclusions Recs. 1.1 1.2

Advantages Helps draw out big issues Shows where our key conclusions and recommendations come from Grid complier and report writer don’t even need to have worked on the project (ours was only involved in 1/21 reports)

From Grid to Report Grids – not easy to read Written section based on the grid needed What style?

Who is the audience?

The Audience?

The Audience?

The Audience?

The Audience?

The Audience?

What do you think

For us, it’s all of these Executive Summary – everyone, especially Chief Exec / Director of Social Services Key Conclusions and Recommendations – the Board Context and Background – regional and national Surestart / Researchers

Key Research Questions / Sources of Data – researchers Detailed Findings – Project Co-ordinator

Feedback Discuss drafts with co-ordinator (no surprises) Verbal report to Board Executive Managers feeding back to Social Services DMT

Worries Will this produce action where it is needed? Is this in line with Regional / National expectations?