Want to strengthen your evaluation skills?

Institutes

We participate in institutes for professionals by delivering customized lectures, workshops, and demonstrations.

Contact us if you are interested in having the Evaluation Center participate at your event.

Workshops

The Evaluation Center offers a variety of workshops that address common evaluation questions. Some of the workshops we offer are listed below. We also design custom workshops to meet your organization’s exact evaluation needs. 

Click on the training topics to see more info.

Evaluation Planning

Engaging Your Stakeholders in Your Program Evaluation Process

More than just a buzzword, ‘stakeholders’ are vital to the success of an evaluation throughout the entire process, from planning to implementation to dissemination and action.

This workshop first covers how to identify stakeholders and primary intended users of an evaluation, including their roles, motivations, and priorities. Then it looks at opportunities, rationale, and strategies for engaging stakeholders throughout the lifecycle of an evaluation. Hands-on exercises are used throughout the session to reinforce and practice concepts presented.

Evaluation Planning: Starting on the Right Path

Evaluation planning can seem like a daunting task for many organizations. This workshop outlines a step-by-step approach to start you on the right path for evaluation planning. It covers logic models, formulating evaluation questions and possible approaches for answering those questions.

The format is a mix of presentation, discussion, and small group exercises. This workshop is best suited for individuals new to evaluation planning.

Qualitative Methods

Focus Groups and Key Informant Interviews: Best Practices for Qualitative Data Collection

Qualitative evaluation approaches provide rich descriptions of people, programs, organizations, and systems. Using qualitative approaches can help you obtain information not garnered from quantitative data, adding color to the black and white numbers.

This workshop provides a practical introduction to two important qualitative approaches: key informant interviews and focus groups. It covers appropriate use of these methods, how to develop effective questions, and recruiting for and facilitating interviews and focus groups. Hands-on exercises are used throughout the session to reinforce and practice concepts presented.

More than Numbers: Analyzing Qualitative Data

Analysis of qualitative data from focus groups or in-depth interviews provides a wealth of information and contextual understanding about the issue under consideration. A well thought-out analysis and presentation of the data are important to managing the large quantities of data and help to make the most of your time.

This course provides an introduction to the analysis of qualitative data so that findings can be presented in informative and useful ways.

Reporting & Data Visualization

Leveraging the Power of Excel for Your Program’s Data and Reporting Needs

Participants of this workshop will learn how to utilize Microsoft Excel for organizing, analyzing, and reporting their program data, beyond simple formulas and charts.

We will discuss when Excel is appropriate as a data management and reporting tool, best practices for using Excel, and how to take full advantage of powerful Excel features, such as data validation, conditional formatting, VLookup, pivot tables, and graphics. We will also briefly demonstrate and provide resources for further learning about more advanced topics, such as macros and dashboard reports.

Presenting Your Data in Charts: Using Excel for Clearer Communication and Increased Impact

Do you want to produce clear, professional, and effective visual displays of your data in Excel?

This workshop begins with a brief overview of best practices for developing charts. We then work through a series of hands-on demonstrations of developing chart types, such as bar, column, dot plots, and line graphs in Excel, including how to decide what chart to use for the story you are trying to tell with your data. We also discuss how to export and link charts to other Microsoft products, such as Word and PowerPoint. Finally, participants have the opportunity to practice the principles learned in the workshop through hands-on exercises.

Selected workshops can be accessed through Brown School Professional Development.