Optimizing State and Municipal Program Evaluations: Image-ining How to Remove Barriers

Day 2: Sept 23, 2013 • 1:15pm • Greenhouse

By Veronica Smith, data2insight LLC; Alison Peters, Alison Peters Consulting

Veronica Smith and Alison Peters will host this session designed to generate creative ideas that you can put to work in your next evaluation. We will draw on our experience with public sector evaluation and research, and from the wisdom in room by engaging participants in a game of IMAGE-ination. Teams will break out based on interest in the following strategies for optimizing evaluation:

· Role clarity
· Organizing framework
· Clarifying questions and data alignment
· Measure definition
· Managing data interpretation

Participants will put their right brain to work using images and conversation with peers to share techniques, tools, strategies, and success stories for successfully removing barriers to effective evaluation efforts. The image maps and ideas generated will be shared following the workshop to keep the conversation going and facilitate use.

Veronica Smith is founder and principal of independent evaluation and research firm data2insight LLC, which focuses on education and environmental program evaluation and data dashboard design-build. Our clients include Seattle Public Utilities, E3 Washington, and The Nature Conservancy. Over the past 20 years, Ms. Smith has been involved in environmental programs including Waste Free Fridays, Sustainable Seattle, and Northwest EcoBuilding Guild. She has formal education and training in evaluation, engineering and architecture.

Alison Peters is the founder and principal researcher of Alison Peters Consulting, a Northwest-based public opinion research firm serving the region’s key decision makers and organizations. After founding the firm in 2002, Alison has advised dozens of leaders from government, business, and the nonprofit community on the current trends in public opinion. As a result, her work has helped progressive politics move forward in Washington State on several key issues.

Both our firms were founded on serving public sector organizations by working on issues and projects that build and sustain strong communities. Over the years, we have built our businesses by delivering outstanding research products and impeccable customer service.

• A list of all presentations at the 2013 EENP Forum