Elephants and Evaluation
Most people have heard the expression, “elephant in the room,” which points to an obvious truth or problem that no one wants to acknowledge. It is based on the idea that an elephant in a room would be hard to ignore because it is…well, an elephant. Often, people treat evaluation as if it was an elephant in the room. They think that if they ignore it, then it will go away. Evaluationcan create feelings of anxiety because there is a fear that it will be complex or time-consuming or that the results will be used in a punitive way, most likely to take away funding. But in an era of less resources and greater needs, evaluation is more important than ever.
Evaluation at its most basic helps you see if you are doing what you said you would do and if it is working. It does not need to be complex or time-consuming. Looking at evaluation as a way to “check-in” on how you are doing is a way to simplify it. It can be boiled down to two questions - “What is working well?” and “What could be improved?” Having the answers to these two questions can help you celebrate and build on your successes and create change where needed. A “check-in” can be done using existing data to answer these questions, or by asking those involved with the organization or effort to answer these questions.
Collective Impact’s concept of a “check-in” offers a lens for evaluating any endeavor. You can “check-in” on how a meeting went, how a program or process is going, or how satisfied customers are with your services. You can even “check-in” on something personal in your life, like a relationship or a job. A “check-in” can take some of the fear out of evaluation because it helps you look at evaluation as a tool for improvement rather than a tool for punishment.It gives you information to help you build on what is working and fix what’s not working.So the next time you are wondering how you are doing, try a “check-in”. Focus your lens on some aspect of your organization or personal life and grab a piece of paper or a note card and answer the two questions - “What is working well?” and “What could be improved?” You just might find that this approach to evaluation makes the elephant in the room look more like a puppy.
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