Commissioning and Managing a Complex Evaluation

Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation Online Workshop: Module Three – Commissioning and Managing a Complex Evaluation

Thursday 30th June 2022, 10:00 - 16:00, Live Online Training (via Zoom)

Tutors: Georgie Parry-Crooke and Clare Twigger-Ross

Back by popular demand, our 'Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation' workshop series provides you with knowledge and practical advice to allow you to deal with complexity in policy analysis and evaluation.

Complexity is present in many social and natural systems and is an important factor accounting for the success or failure of policies. Making complexity explicit can result in better policy development and delivery. Ignoring complexity risks policies that are ineffective, fail or behave in unexpected ways.

Comprising three modules, the training is based on the Supplementary Guide to the Government’s new edition of the Magenta Book on evaluation: ‘Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation’, which was developed by CECAN.

We recommend attending all three modules, which have been designed to complement one another, but this is not essential and the workshops can be attended individually.

Course Details:

This third and final workshop of the series builds on modules 1 and 2 and will focus on material presented in chapter three of the Supplementary Guide, exploring the particular challenges complexity presents to the management and commissioning of evaluation.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this workshop, participants will:

• Understand what it means to manage in complexity and how this applies to commissioning and managing a complex evaluation.

• Have a shared framework for commissioning and managing complex evaluations.

• Be able to specify the policy/project/programme complexity to contractors and clarify what is expected from them.

• Understand how the contracting relationship can accommodate the complex nature of the evaluation (e.g. non- linear, adaptive and dealing with the unexpected).

Intended Audience: These workshops are designed to support policy makers, analysts and evaluators at all levels facing complexity challenges in their current work.

Tutor Biographies:

This workshop is led by Georgie Parry-Crooke and Clare Twigger-Ross

Georgie Parry-Crooke joined TIHR in 2016 following three decades as a social research and evaluation practitioner. She is Professor Emerita at London Metropolitan University where she developed and delivered an MSc in evaluation. Georgie’s experience includes multiple project and programme evaluations of social care, health and in particular, mental health services. From 2012 to 2017, Georgie co-developed and was then co-Director of Project Oracle, funded by the GLA, MOPAC and the ESRC. Project Oracle was set up to support organisations in the demand and supply of evidence of what works or doesn’t to improve outcomes for children and young people. She was involved in the development of the Standards of Evidence and subsequent working groups on the use and expansion of standards more broadly. In 2017, Georgie became Chair of Inspiring Impact, a multi-partner initiative supported by NPC.

Georgie is part of the core team delivering The National Lottery Community Fund’s (TNLCF) Women and Girls Initiative and in 2021, (with IpsosMORI and New Philanthropy Capital) delivered the Learning Strand of the evaluation of TNLCF and DCMS Coronavirus Community Support Fund. Her work encompasses group facilitation and the provision of support/supervision to individuals from a variety of organisations and she is an experienced facilitator, trainer and consultant.

In 2019, she led the Tavistock Institute’s team delivering evaluation capacity building for the British Council and also with IpsosMORI, a Department for Transport evaluation seminar series.

Clare Twigger-Ross is a Technical Director at CEP and is an environmental psychologist with approximately 20 years' experience of social research on the environment. She joined CEP in 2002 having previously worked in academia and for the Environment Agency. She has experience in the fields of the social aspects of flooding, environmental risk perception, attachment to place, stakeholder engagement in environmental decision making, integrated appraisal tools and techniques, and innovative methods for participation.

Course Fees:

Tickets for this workshop are £250 + VAT per person. However, we are offering a 10% early bird discount for those that book their place by 29 Apr 2022.

How can I pay? Payment can be made by credit/debit card. If you wish to pay by invoice, simply select "pay by invoice" under payment method on the registration page and provide your billing details (PO number, company name, address and email address along with a new supplier form if required) by email to admin@cecan.co.uk and we will raise an invoice for you.

I have a question about this course, can I contact you? If you have any questions please contact CECAN Ltd by email: g.deason@surrey.ac.uk

Where can I find your booking terms and conditions? Please click here to view our full booking terms and conditions.

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CECAN Ltd is the commercial arm of the ESRC funded Centre for Evaluating Complexity across the Nexus (CECAN). It offers access to innovative policy evaluation approaches and methods to support decision makers.