Miesiąc: marzec 2016
Exploring policy labs with the Public Health Agency of Canada – the next frontier of policy design and evaluation
In March 2016 we were invited by PHAC to conduct in Ottawa a one-and-a-half day workshop with public policy professionals from the Office of Audit and Evaluation. On the first day, we explored dynamics of effective knowledge brokering. During the creative session on the second day, we designed a sample regulation using behavioral insight and discussed implications for evaluation business resulting from this new approach.
On 24 of November 2015 we played a workshop with group of public servants from City of Warsaw. City of Warsaw consists of over 35 central departments and number of offices in 18 quartiers of Warsaw. They deliver services to citizens and manage the growth of metropolis. In such a complex structure knowledge management is a challenge. The goal of our workshop was to build a network of experienced civil servants who would serve as knowledge brokers, transferring information and experiences between city offices and gaining knowledge from myriad of social partners that operate in our metropolis. During the workshop participants mastered skills of effective knowledge brokers. They network with each other and they also come up with number of ideas for evidence-based initiatives aiming at the improvement of city services.
The American Evaluation Association had chosen Knowledge Brokers for a professional development workshop at their annual conference: „Exemplary Evaluations in a multicultural world”. The conference was held in Chicago, from 9 till 14 of November 2015. Over five thousands participants came to share their experience in evaluation of public programmes and policies. Use of evaluation findings by decision-makers has been always a challenge for the community of evaluators. Thus, our workshops aimed at exchanging experiences of effective knowledge brokering strategies that increase evaluation use. Participants were experienced evaluators and professional staff of evaluation units from all around the world. During the dynamic full day session we learnt about credible research designs and methods of feeding evaluation findings into policy practice. A surprising finding that emerged from our discussions was that challenges we face in evaluation field are similar across the globe. Also ways of dealing with challenge of evidence use are similar across different cultural and organizational contexts. For more information about conference see: [click here] If you are interested in workshop follow-up materials and access to reader – please contact us at: k.olejniczak@evaluation.pl
On 24 of October 2015 we conducted a workshop with Marshall Office of Sub-Carpathian Region. Office has been preparing for the implementation of regional development program, worth almost 2,5 billion EUR. They decided that management of such a huge investment scheme should be evidence-based.
The goal of the workshop was to bring together analysts from different departments and develop with them knowledge-management system and list of possible research topics for the program. During the workshop participants designed research and learn the principles of knowledge management in public policies. An unexpected discovery for analysts who traditionally work alone was the value of communication and team work.
Our game-based workshop was chosen as an exemplary workshop for the opening of the 11th Polish Evaluation Conference, Cracow, September 27, 2015. The conference is a joint undertaking of the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure and Development and the Polish Agency of Enterprise Development. It brings together practitioners of applied public policy research from academia, research consultancies, ministries and Polish regions. A key challenge discussed this year on number of sessions was use of research results for the better implementation of Cohesion Policy programmes (investment package worth 77 billions EUR for years 2014-2020) Our workshop brought together practitioners from Polish ministries, regional government and academia. Together we have been testing effective knowledge brokering strategies for the better implementation of Cohesion Policy interventions. For more information about conference see:http://www.konferencja-ewaluacja.pl/2015/
