Project Management and Evaluation
Soft Systems Evaluation
Programme Item
Programme Item
Workshop 1
"Soft Systems Evaluation"
Moritz
Flockenhaus
Overview of workshop
This workshop was not run in the conventional presentational style, it was interactive with small group training exercises and discussions so it was difficult to isolate key points.
Main tenants of SSE
Moritz Flockenhaus summarised the key features of Soft Systems Evaluation:
Emphasis on learning rather than failure.
Avoids situations where at the end of an evaluation, analysis of data is inconclusive and the main finding is ‘further research is required’.
SSE is keen to generate insightful results
Cannot give answers to all problems.
Evaluation must acknowledge ‘mess’, that what you are looking at is complex, and that (a) does not necessarily cause (b).
Key issues raised by participants
There needs to be greater flexibility on targets when demonstrating success.
There needs to be real-time feedback on what works and what doesn’t.
Needs to be a greater Home Office emphasis on learning rather than failure.
Financial resources need to be set aside for project management in BCU.
A tool-kit on Soft Systems Evaluation would be invaluable.
Much more provision of skills training around monitoring and evaluation generally.
The whole bidding process needs to be re-worked to include evaluation & project management.
Reasonable timescales need to be given for the bidding process if meaningful thought on measuring success is to be built into a project from the outset.
Common problems with monitoring and evaluation, experience of participants
Lack of resources.
Lack of skills and knowledge.
Lots of multi-themed, complex projects, how to evaluate?
No communication, appropriate data to evaluate often not available.
Time constraints.
Lack of clarity around outcomes of project.
Central design, project often not designed locally, insufficient thought in early stages
Dependence on quantitative data.
Date modified: 3 November 2003
Review date: November 2004
Originator: Crime Reduction Centre
Last update: 03/11/03