Resources

Online resources for Getting Started with Evaluation

These online resources have been designed to teach or refresh your skills in planning and carrying out an evaluation.

They are freely available nationally to increase capacity and capability in designing evidence-based care. They are particularly aimed at staff in the health and social care sectors, and can be used as adhoc learning resources or incorporated into local training.

The resources were created by staff from CLAHRC West and the West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) with technical support from the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol). Please acknowledge these organisations when you share them.

You can view the videos in any order, but when run sequentially (totalling 30 minutes), they make up key components of the successful classroom-based workshop run across the West of England, ‘Getting Started with Evaluation’. The slide deck used for this workshop is also freely available and can be found below the videos on this page.  For more information contact Jo Bangoura.

Q: What is evidence-informed commissioning?

This short video gives you real-world insight into evidence-informed commissioning, as told by commissioners, GPs and other staff working in the West of England. It explains why it is so important in our current climate and succinctly sets the scene and context. You may want to share it in a meeting or show it at the beginning of a teaching session. (Duration: 3:20)

Q: What is the Evaluation Works toolkit?

Take a short tour around the Evaluation Works toolkit. It provides a structure to plan your evaluation based on a 5-step cycle. It also contains a raft of tools and resources within each step, as well as case studies and a checklist so you can get started with your evaluation. (Duration: 4:01)

 

Q: Why is Evaluation important?

This animated ‘lego’ video is the first in a series of three. It succinctly explains what evaluation is, how it differs from monitoring and how it links with quality improvement. If you are delivering evaluation training, you may wish to show it within the sessions. (Duration: 2:57)

Q: I need to do an evaluation. Where do I start?

The approach used in the Evaluation Works toolkit is a five-step cycle, based on ‘Plan – Do – Study – Act (PDSA)’. Working through these videos, alongside cross referencing the evaluation toolkit, will provide you with knowledge, skills and resources to start planning your evaluation.

 

This video outlines the many factors that are important to consider when planning your evaluation and will help you choose which type of evaluation is suitable for you. (Duration: 4:08)

 

The third and final animated Lego video considers tools that are available for your evaluation, and different approaches. (Duration: 3:38)

We are very grateful to Michael Harris, Learning Technologist, UWE Bristol for his time and expertise in producing the Evaluation Works steps videos.

Q: Where can I find the workshop slide deck?

Getting started in evaluation slides (PPT)

This slide deck of 28 slides is used to deliver a 2-hour workshop called ‘Getting started with Evaluation’ to commissioners across the West of England footprint. It is available for download on this site through the link above. The slides may be adapted for use in your local training session; speaker notes are included. Please acknowledge NIHR CLAHRC West and the West of England AHSN as the original creators when you use or adapt these slides.