1. Getting Your Stories Straight: Using Examples and Anecdotes as Outcome Measures Montgomery County September 17, 2015 Barry Jay Seltser

2. Today’s Goals Share ideas on using stories and examples as outcome indicators Improve your ability to be systematic and thorough in using stories Provide handouts and suggestions for future use Qualitative Outcomes2

3. Why Tell Stories? Discussion: – Advantages – Disadvantages 3Qualitative Outcomes

4. Drawing Verbal Pictures Qualitative Outcomes4

5. What Makes a Story Work? Discussion Qualitative Outcomes5

6. Elements of a Story Qualitative Outcomes6

7. Elements of a Story Suggested elements to focus on – What was the situation? – What did we do? – Why did we do this? – What happened as a result of what we did? – Why does it matter? – Handout 1 Qualitative Outcomes7

8. Attribute Change! Key goal: To attribute any change or improvement to what you did Stories are powerful when they link your actions to the client’s outcome Ask questions – What did we do that made a difference? – Why did our actions “work”? Qualitative Outcomes8

9. Types of Success Stories Examples of stories you have heard about your agency (group discussion) Strengths and weaknesses of using these types of stories (group discussion) 9Qualitative Outcomes

10. Who, where, what, when? Qualitative Outcomes10 The stories are there--- How do you unlock them from wherever they are hiding?

11. Overall Point: Be Systematic! Don’t be passive Solicit stories on a regular basis, from a broad set of informants Collect, document, and store your narratives uniformly Handout 2 11Qualitative Outcomes

12. Who do you ask? Who are your best informants? (May not be the client—consider family, teachers, friends, your staff members, etc.) Who knows about your program’s ability to help achieve better outcomes? 12Qualitative Outcomes

13. Where do you ask? Where would they be most comfortable talking about their experiences? Who would they be most comfortable talking to? Are they most likely to give you examples – In person – On the phone – In an e-mail or letter Qualitative Outcomes13

14. What do you ask for? Consider how you want to use and present the information (Handouts 3 and 4) Identify your key audiences and their needs and interests 14Qualitative Outcomes

15. When do you ask? Try to ask for stories routinely when informants are providing other information – Exit interviews – Regular reporting cycles – Training sessions 15Qualitative Outcomes

16. Some Possible Approaches Individual interviews Focus groups/small group discussions Open-ended survey questions Unsolicited ad hoc letters, phone calls, etc. Questions at end of meetings, meals, etc. 16Qualitative Outcomes

17. Logistical Issues Professional facilitator, objective staff member collecting information Recording technology (tape/digital recorders, flip charts or computers for capturing examples) 17Qualitative Outcomes

18. Your Words or Their Words? Why are direct quotations valuable? What are some problems with direct quotations? What do you want your audience to hear? Qualitative Outcomes18

19. Qualitative and Quantitative Combine two approaches where possible On surveys or interviews, try to ask both closed-ended and open-ended questions 19Qualitative Outcomes

20. Presenting/Disseminating Handout 5 provides some suggestions Two results to avoid: 20Qualitative Outcomes

21. Aggregating Stories When feasible, identify multiple stories for a common theme Try to estimate frequency of impacts Identify a range of themes/categories for grouping and reporting stories 21Qualitative Outcomes

22. Summary Be systematic Figure out what you need, and ask for it Link your intervention with the outcomes Link stories with quantitative outcome information whenever possible Start where you are, and slowly improve Qualitative Outcomes22

23. Resources CDC, “Impact and Value: Telling Your Program’s Story” (2007) www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/publications/library/success_stories _wkbk.htm www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/publications/library/success_stories _wkbk.htm Richard Krueger (expert on focus groups): http://www.tc.umn.edu/~rkrueger/about.html or his book Focus Groups (1988) http://www.tc.umn.edu/~rkrueger/about.html Organizations such as ESC, local colleges, other independent experts, your colleagues in other agencies 23Qualitative Outcomes

24. Thank you! Please complete the brief evaluation Thank you for your participation! If you need additional support or advice from Barry Seltser, please contact the Pro Bono Consultant Program – 240-777-2605 or probono@montgomerycountymd.gov probono@montgomerycountymd.gov Qualitative Outcomes24