We specialise in the evaluation of projects and programmes.

We have successfully delivered over 110 evaluations – at European, UK Government, regional and local levels.  There is often a funded element to these projects.  We offer expertise in areas such as:

  • skills
  • business support
  • education
  • community based projects
  • sector based projects

In particular we:

  • custom design our evaluation approach to fit the design of the project
  • specialise in complex projects, where the evaluation model has to be thoughtfully designed
  • add value through intelligent recommendations, to help current and future projects build on past results

An example of this is the Skills Ladder which was developed to evaluate skills interventions.

The Skills Ladder

A customised model for evaluating skills interventions

With most skills interventions, a significant period of time elapses between identification of learners’ skills needs and achieving impact (individual and team performance improvement).  Along the way there are several steps on the ladder that have to be climbed, and in a particular sequence, for the project to achieve its desired end impact.  By evaluating at each ‘rung on the ladder’ we gain clear insights into what worked and what didn’t, at each stage.  The project can then be enhanced and the learning applied in future projects.

Capture

If the skills project meets barriers at any step on the ladder, progress can falter.  For example, if a learner does not have the opportunity to practice new skills for some weeks or months, training relapse is likely to occur.  This is common with complex skills, such as advanced IT or machine operation. If the learner is not allowed to use new skills in their job, a blockage to implementation occurs, perhaps where some managers have not bought into the project.  We help skills teams to design or evaluate their projects by applying tools and techniques at each rung on the ladder, ensuring each step is successfully negotiated so the project can move to the next stage.

If you would like to talk to us about evaluation for UK or European projects please contact us.