Learning and Sharing
The nature of our work is such that it can be very easy to become so immersed in the day-to-day work that we lose sight of the big picture. Evaluation brings a fresh pair of eyes, and a systematic approach, to reflect back to us what we are achieving. Often this may include something we had not planned for but that has emerged as a benefit in the course of our activities. By being made aware of this unforeseen consequence, we can incorporate it into our approach. (Tom Garnett, Dundee)
Good campaigning includes time spent evaluating our successes (and near misses) and sharing our ideas. It’s always tempting to rush onto the next piece of work but, if we do that, we risk repeating our mistakes at a later date.
At the very start of the action planning process we asked you to think about how you would know if you’d succeeded. This section gives you some tips and techniques for evaluation and also gives some brief pointers about sharing your learning with others.