Our Services
External Evaluation
External evaluation services are great for clients that are ready for more robust evaluation but lack in-house capacity or simply have a desire for an outside perspective. External evaluation can range from conducting a needs assessment or program evaluation to doing in-depth research or outcome evaluation. External evaluation projects vary greatly depending on client scope, budget and goals. Regardless, our approach to external evaluation is rooted in purpose and follows a systematic methodology that concludes with meaningful sense-making of the results.
Evaluation Coaching
Evaluation coaching is great for organizations that need support developing their evaluation infrastructure. We walk through how to set up your evaluation strategy in alignment with your mission and services. We meet regularly to guide clients through all the steps of the evaluation process, including modeling how to make meaning from data using effective facilitation techniques. Our intention with coaching is to lay the foundation for evaluation practice while building the client’s capacity to lead continuous improvement efforts internally.
Data Utilization
Data utilization services are great for clients that have an established evaluation infrastructure but desire deeper guidance on how to use the information. We serve as thought-partners, raising new questions and new opportunities for putting your data to work. Organizations that are trying to make data-informed decisions within complex systems or are going through strategic planning, program redesign or other major model shifts benefit greatly from this support.
Our Approach
The goal of evaluation is learning.
We work with organizations in a way that helps them reflect on who they are and what they want to learn. Understanding who they are involves a deep dive into what they do, who is involved, and what data currently exists. Having a common understanding enables us to explore and hone evaluation purpose and goals.
Once a team is on the same page about evaluation purpose and goals, we can explore a variety of methods to collect that information. WithInsight’s expertise in both quantitative and qualitative methods ensures that organizations find the methodology that’s going to be best for them. Our clients often learn new ways to measure something as well as more participatory and equitable approaches to data collection.
We analyze and summarize data in a way that is tailored to each client’s needs and learning goals. Reflective practice is at the heart of this process. We bring teams together to go through the information and explore for themselves what it means. Teaching people how to review data carefully and thoughtfully is core to our capacity-building approach. This feeds the cycle of continuous improvement and drives changes that are truly aligned with people’s needs as well as organizational strategy.