Charting imputed, real, and projected data
In a previous post, I discussed the importance of keeping a data agenda: a list of data that will be helpful to your program but is not currently being measured. Once you’ve completed your agenda, you might be thinking, “Now what?” Getting started on charting your data may seem like a daunting task, but there…
Using a data walk to redesign a workforce development training program
Are you and your team trying to make better sense of your data? You might want to consider a Data Walk. A data walk is a simple exercise that helps staff and stakeholders understand their data and use it to make better decisions.
Does sustaining your organization go in your logic model?
Every once in a while, I see a logic model that incorporates the organization’s financial sustainability. The rationale for it is that if the organization doesn’t have enough resources, the program won’t run. This is true, but including the activities of your development department in your program logic model reveals a couple of misunderstandings about…
Sex, gender, and sexual orientation: Some resources on collecting demographic data in a survey
A few weeks ago, I published a tip on asking about gender on a survey. The subject obviously requires a lot more than one tip. Below are several excellent resources on asking about gender or sexual orientation on a survey. A reminder: not asking at all might be the best approach.
More useful guides and resources for building logic models
Last year, I published a post with a handful of resources on developing logic models. It’s a new year, and I thought the subject was worth revisiting. This post includes more long-form guides and online courses that you can use to build understanding of logic models in your programs and organizations. Here are four guides…
Presenting data for a Targeted Universalist approach
Targeted universalism is an approach that emphasizes reaching a population-level goal by ensuring that each of our sub-populations meets the goal. I’ve been thinking about the implications that Targeted Universalism has for how I present and look at data.
Aligning logic models with Targeted Universalism
I have recently been thinking and reading about Targeted Universalism. Originally developed by professor and critical race scholar John A. Powell, Targeted Universalism is an approach to advancing population-level goals that takes into account the experiences and specific needs of diverse sub-populations. Targeted Universalism can be used as a strategy to align multiple organizations to…
A very brief introduction to evaluation methods: Non-experimental, experimental, and quasi-experimental designs
When you are evaluating a program to see whether it was effective, there are three types of approaches: experimental, non-experimental, and quasi-experimental. The difference between them is that in an experimental design, the researcher determines which participants were in the treatment group (participated in our program) and which were in the control group (did not…
I help mission-based organizations measure their impact so that they can do what they do well. I started my nonprofit career as a teacher in workforce development and adult basic education. It was important work and I was worried that we didn’t really know if we were doing it well. In the process of trying to answer that question, I got a Masters in Education and a PhD in Social Policy, and became an evaluator.
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