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

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

3. The Challenge

4. 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!

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

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

7. …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

8. 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)

9. 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)

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

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

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

13. 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)

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

15. Who is the audience?

16. The Audience?

17. The Audience?

18. The Audience?

19. The Audience?

20. The Audience?

21. What do you think

22. 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

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

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

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