Unleash the power of evaluative thinking in our data-driven world! This article explores how evaluative thinking goes beyond data analysis alone; it involves a systematic and reflective approach to understanding the effectiveness and impact of actions, programs, and decisions. Discover why evaluative thinking matters for informed decision-making, accountability, and fostering innovation.

Check out the top 10 articles + top 10 resources of 2023 from Eval Academy!

As one of the Canadian Evaluation Society’s core competencies, self-reflection is powerful tool in bridging the gap between theoretical understanding and practical implementation. This article explores the importance of self-reflection in the work of evaluators, provides suggestions on practicing self-reflection, and discusses the benefits of engaging in the practice.

Data protection in the world of evaluation is a must, especially when handling personally identifiable information (PII). Want to learn how to safeguard your data effectively? Discover the essential steps, including encryption and anonymization, to ensure your PII is shielded from unauthorized access, all while staying compliant with regulations.

It’s time to embrace long reports! This article confesses my love for lengthy reports. Why? Because they're more than just data – they're knowledge preservation. Long reports have a place in our world, serving multiple roles, from building capacity to promoting transparency. Learn more about the value of extensive reports in this article.

In this first instalment of our Data Visualization Applications series, we'll guide you through the art of transforming raw data into compelling visualizations. We kick things off by delving into the power and simplicity of the bar chart. By following these steps and best practices, you'll elevate your charts to ensure your data speaks clearly and convincingly. Stay tuned for more insights and techniques in our Data Visualization Applications series.

Much of the work as an evaluator involves conducting evaluations for clients; this article describes our experience of working with an organization to help them become their own evaluation experts. Within this article, we cover the key evaluation concepts we shared with our client and highlight our own learnings from this process.

The article discusses the book "Designing Quality Survey Questions" by Robinson and Leonard, offering guidance for beginners in survey design. It highlights understanding survey purpose, tool suitability, respondent characteristics, and cultural context, serving as a useful resource for both new and experienced survey designers. Part 2 will delve into crafting quality survey questions.

The article reviews the podcast "Indigenous Insights: An Evaluation Podcast" hosted by Gladys Rowe, which explores Indigenous evaluation perspectives. Rowe, a member of Fox Lake Cree Nation, shares experiences through storytelling, promoting reflection and learning. The podcast highlights Indigenous community-centered evaluation, featuring discussions with experts about their experiences.

This infographic is for those who are new to the field of evaluation and want to learn more about it. The purpose of the infographic is to provide newcomers with valuable resources that answer three important questions about evaluation. The infographic includes a one-page PDF with clickable links to relevant resources, making it easy for beginners to explore and learn more about evaluation.

This article explains the concept of plain language, which aims to make writing easily understandable. It emphasizes the importance of clear communication and its relevance in knowledge translation. It also highlights reasons to write in plain language, such as addressing literacy challenges and making content accessible to a diverse audience. The article introduces tools, including AI writing tools like Chat GPT and readability tools, that assist in creating plain language content.

This infographic is for those who want to understand the differences between research and evaluation, especially when they are used simultaneously in programs. The infographic shows the main steps of research and evaluation, points out the main ways they are different, and gives helpful advice for managing programs that use both approaches.

While traditional data collection methods like surveys, interviews, focus groups, and document reviews are well-known in evaluation, there are also innovative approaches like participatory and arts-based methods. One such method is Photovoice. While it might be daunting to embrace new techniques, it's important to recognize the value of methods like Photovoice in expanding our toolkit and enhancing evaluation practices.

A SWOT is a tool commonly used at the beginning of a new venture or as part of a new strategic planning process. A SWOT in evaluation could be used as a data collection tool or to present evaluation findings and create recommendations. This article outlines what a SWOT analysis is and how to complete one.

In this article, we highlight the importance of ensuring interviewer safety to make the interview experience effective for collecting data and a positive experience for everyone involved!

“Confidential” and “anonymous” are words we use quite a bit in the evaluation world. But do you know what they actually mean? This article explores some of these concepts and provides some tips on how to maintain confidentiality.

In the first article of this installment, we covered what the CE designation is and is not, and talked a little bit about why you might get it. In this article, we will explore what you need to do to gain your CE designation. 

At Three Hive Consulting & Eval Academy, we pride ourselves on being led by three Credentialled Evaluators. But what is a CE? What does it mean?

In this article, we provide the answers to some of your FAQs about evaluation including: Why do people conduct evaluations? Where can I find an evaluator? What makes a good evaluator? How can I get training in evaluation? What is the difference between research and evaluation? How much does an evaluation cost?

A style guide is a time-saving tool that helps you be consistent in your formatting when creating client and public-facing products, from evaluation plans to reports and presentations. When working with a team, style guides ensure that team members are working efficiently as they create evaluation products.