Throughout all these evaluations we have advocated strongly that people undertaking innovative activities build on-going evaluation into what they do. This turns the evaluation process from ‘a frustrating last stage of the reporting process’, into one which deliberately helps fine tune the initiative as it goes.

Evaluation is a crucial part of the cycle of invention and action as projects move from ideas to action, to reflection and refinement, before moving on to new ideas and actions.

We are strong supporters of projects whose goals are SMART:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time-bound.

Designing an initiative around these principles helps ensure real and measurable outcomes – outcomes that can evolve as the project matures, and which embody the impacts from activities rather than the kind of ‘bums on seats’ approach to just counting activities themselves.