At the National Audit Office (NAO), we believe good evaluation is key to helping government to learn whether its interventions are working and to demonstrate accountability for the use of public money.
CPD Courses
Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation Online Workshop: Module Three – Selecting an Appropriate Evaluation Approach
This third workshop reviews material presented in chapter four of the Supplementary Guide, which provides guidance on how to select an appropriate evaluation approach for a complex intervention, reviews some of the different evaluation approaches available and indicates when these are most useful.
UKES / CECAN Online Masterclass – Process Tracing
Process Tracing is a method used to understand causal chains in single case analysis settings. It is the systematic analysis of contribution claims through explicit investigation of how pieces of evidence support or undermine a particular hypothesis or claim.
CECAN Webinar: Inequality in a Context of Climate Crisis After COVID – the Role of Applied Social Science
Widely acknowledged as the key driver of political discontent and social instability, economic inequality across high and middle-income countries is profoundly interconnected with climate change. Both of these issues are now set within the particularly acute context of COVID-19 and its aftermath.
Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation Online Workshop: Module One – Complexity and its Challenges for Policy and Evaluation (Sold Out!)
Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation Online Workshop: Module One – Complexity and its Challenges for Policy and Evaluation
CECAN Webinar: An update of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Framework for Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions
In this webinar Kathryn and Laurence will present their recent paper in BMJ, which updated a 2008 Medical Research Council framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions.
Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation Online Workshop: Module Two – Selecting an Appropriate Evaluation Approach
Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation Online Workshop: Module Two – Selecting an Appropriate Evaluation Approach
Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation Online Workshop: Module Three – Commissioning and Managing a Complex Evaluation
Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation Online Workshop: Module Three – Commissioning and Managing a Complex Evaluation
UKES / CECAN Online Masterclass – Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)
This course is an introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). QCA is a method for the comparative study of cases and is used to analyse qualitative social data systematically. The analysis compares cases by assigning set memberships across a set of attributes.
CECAN Webinar: Redefining Evaluation to Support System Change: Theoretical and Practical Insights
On 9th December 2021, Emily Gates (Assistant Professor of Evaluation in the Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment Department at Boston College) hosted a CECAN webinar.
What would a complexity-appropriate evaluation framework for England’s action on nature over the next 10 years look like?
This blog provides a discussion of the potential role for evaluation in supporting and assessing progress on action for nature and biodiversity.
CECAN Webinar: Redefining Evaluation to Support System Change: Theoretical and Practical Insights
What role should evaluation play in systems change and transformation? How must we rethink evaluation itself to adapt to this role? Emily Gates, assistant professor at Boston College, will share her thoughts on these questions grounded in theoretical scholarship and a case study.
UKES / CECAN Online Masterclass – Discourse Analysis: Exploring the Potential for Use in Evaluation
There is much that can be learned from analysing discourse (‘the written and spoken word’). Rigorously applied discourse analysis can reveal, for example, assumptions embedded in legislation, policy and strategy as well as the uptake of these by different actors, including the public.
CECAN Webinar: Developing Systems Approaches in the Water Sector
On 21st September 2021, Brendan Bromwich (Principal Engineer, Asset Management and Investment Planning, Mott MacDonald) hosted a CECAN webinar.
UKES / CECAN Online Masterclass – Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)
This course is an introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). QCA is a method for the comparative study of cases and is used to analyse qualitative social data systematically. The analysis compares cases by assigning set memberships across a set of attributes.
UKES / CECAN Online Masterclass – Bayesian Updating (Diagnostic Theory-Based Evaluation)
This course covers the theory and practice of diagnostic evaluation and Bayesian Updating. It addresses its epistemological and mathematical basis, its appropriateness and strengths / weaknesses in comparison with other methods, and its application steps.
UKES / CECAN Online Masterclass – Process Tracing Introductory Course
Process Tracing is a method used to understand causal chains in single case analysis settings. It is the systematic analysis of contribution claims through explicit investigation of how pieces of evidence support or undermine a particular hypothesis or claim.
CECAN Press Release (15 September 2021): New Toolkit to Help Evaluate Complex Policies
One of the country’s top research hubs for evaluating complex policies has published a new toolkit that could help government officials judge the effectiveness of their work.
CECAN Webinar: The Practice of Blue Marble Evaluation
The great acceleration of human activities over the past 10, 50, 100 years has changed the very nature of life support for all species who live together on this big “blue marble” we call planet Earth.
CECAN Webinar: Developing Systems Approaches in the Water Sector
Tuesday 21st September 2021, 13:00 – 14:00 BST Presenter: Brendan Bromwich, Principal Engineer, Asset Management and Investment Planning, Mott MacDonald Webinar Overview: There is a consistent appeal for a systems approach to be applied to water and environmental...
Evaluation as a Pathway to Transformation for a Sustainable Future
In June 2021, the Sustainability Research & Innovation Congress 2021 (SRI2021) held a series of online workshops as part of its “Transformations Conference 2021: Enabling Positive Tipping Points”. This post shares the learning from one workshop, “Evaluation as a Pathway to Transformation for a Sustainable Future.”
CECAN Webinar: Case-Based Modelling and Scenario Simulation for Ex-Post Evaluation
This seminar introduces case-based scenario simulation (CBSS) to evaluators. CBSS is well aligned with existing evaluation approaches, most directly realist evaluation which emphasizes ‘what works for whom in which circumstances’.
CECAN Webinar: Case-Based Modelling and Scenario Simulation for Ex-Post Evaluation
On 6th July 2021, Dr Corey Schimpf, Dr Brian Castellani and Dr Pete Barbrook-Johnson hosted a CECAN webinar, which discussed case-based scenario simulation (CBSS) in relation to evaluation purpose (learning or accountability) and evaluation design (cross-sectional or longitudinal).
Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation: Training and Support
Our new CECAN training and support series ‘Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation’ will provide you with knowledge and practical advice to allow you to deal with complexity in policy analysis and evaluation.
The Participatory System Mapper, PRSM
CECAN has been developing a new app, called PRSM, which runs in a web browser and which helps groups of people collaboratively develop networks or ‘maps’ of policy and other systems online.
Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation Online Workshop: Module One – Complexity and its Challenges for Policy and Evaluation
This workshop will focus on material presented in the first two chapters of the Supplementary Guide, which describes key features of complex systems and the challenges these present both to policy makers, and to those planning, commissioning and undertaking evaluation of policy interventions.
Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation Online Workshop: Module Two – Commissioning and Managing a Complex Evaluation
This workshop will focus on material presented in chapter three of Supplementary Guide to explore the particular challenges complexity presents to the management and commissioning of a policy evaluation.
Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation Online Workshop: Module Three – Selecting an Appropriate Evaluation Approach
This workshop will review material presented in chapter four of the Supplementary Guide, which provides guidance on how to select an appropriate evaluation approach for a complex intervention, reviews some of the different evaluation approaches available and indicates when these are most useful.
CECAN Webinar: Participatory Systems Mapping for Policy Evaluation
On 31st March 2021, Pete Barbrook-Johnson and Alexandra Penn hosted our CECAN Webinar: ‘Participatory Systems Mapping for Policy Evaluation’.
CECAN PhD Student, Betheney Wills, is awarded her doctorate and secures a position at Defra (Marine and Fisheries)
Betheney was awarded a PhD in November 2020 following a viva in which her thesis was approved without corrections.