Category Archives: Research Impact

Collective Leadership – Exploring new territories for evaluation

Posted on November 9, 2018 by admin

I spent time this summer writing about evaluation.  It’s been good to immerse myself in reading and thinking about what complexity and collaboration mean for how we evaluate public programmes and interventions. The focus has been Workforce Scotland’s Collective Leadership … Continue reading →

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Where nothing is clear, and everything keeps changing – new territories for evaluation

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Cathy Sharp

Greetings from the Faroe Islands.  In my efforts to develop new perspectives on evaluation I’m attending a conference on Communication, Collaboration and Relationships.  This is my annual dose of CPD – like many people from the UK, this is new … Continue reading →

Posted in 5th generation evaluation, Appreciative inquiry, Co-production and new ways of working, Courses and events, How can evaluation be useful?, Living systems research, Research Impact, Stories, What is action research? | Comments Off on Where nothing is clear, and everything keeps changing – new territories for evaluation

“The cynicism that passes for sophistication”

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Cathy Sharp

I’m not sure when or how I first encountered Appreciative Inquiry.  But I do remember going to an Imagine Chicago conference in 2002 with a group of community activists from Edinburgh.  We had a thoroughly exciting time, meeting appreciative inquirers … Continue reading →

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Reigniting Evaluation – Unfolding Stories

Posted on February 2, 2018 by Cathy Sharp

Today about 24 people gathered in Edinburgh to explore what they value about evaluation, as part of the 2018 Fire Starter Festival. Working with our own stories of experience of evaluation at it’s best, we identified what values and qualities … Continue reading →

Posted in Appreciative inquiry, Co-production and new ways of working, Courses and events, How can evaluation be useful?, Leadership, Living systems research, Participatory research methods, Partnership working, Research Impact, Stories, What is action research? | Comments Off on Reigniting Evaluation – Unfolding Stories

When are you ever not prototyping?

Posted on December 30, 2017 by Cathy Sharp

I’m co-hosting an event at the forthcoming Fire Starter Festival.  We want to ignite conversations about learning-in-action to stimulate thinking about how evaluation practices might flourish to promote learning and innovation. We put prototyping in the title as a deliberate … Continue reading →

Posted in Appreciative inquiry, Co-production and new ways of working, Courses and events, How can evaluation be useful?, Leadership, Participatory research methods, Partnership working, Research Impact, Stories, What is action research? | Comments Off on When are you ever not prototyping?

Are we working well together?

Posted on June 12, 2017 by Cathy Sharp

I often ask myself ‘is this worthwhile work?’ And this guest blog for Space Unlimited is some part of a response; it describes a recent highlight of a stimulating week when I took part in a Space Unlimited Lasting Change … Continue reading →

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Is this the best it can be?

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Cathy Sharp

I’ve very much enjoyed being involved in the development of this new toolkit for Creative Scotland. The ideas and approaches were developed from desk research and  action research, with seven pilot partnerships of artists, partners and participants using the tools  … Continue reading →

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Participative transformation?

Posted on July 24, 2015 by admin

I have recently written a book review of Participative transformation learning and development in practising change, by Roger Klev and Morten Levin in the Journal Action Learning:  Research and Practice, 2015 They propose that given the challenges of the uncertainty … Continue reading →

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Calling time on ancedotal evidence….

Posted on December 9, 2014 by admin

I notice my irritation rising whenever someone refers to ‘anecdotal evidence’. As if people are saying the evidence is merely anecdotal. It’s unreliable and based on hearsay. It doesn’t count for much. And so often, such remarks are made in … Continue reading →

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Caring conversations in action

Posted on January 15, 2014 by admin

Taking time to hear the stories that matter to matter pays off in the long run…it’s just the way we do things round here.   Asking for feedback can feel a bit embarrassing but we find the courage because it’s good … Continue reading →

Posted in Co-production and new ways of working, How can evaluation be useful?, Living systems research, Participatory research methods, Partnership working, Research Impact, Stories, What is action research? | Comments Off on Caring conversations in action