outcomes & ict kva nov 2012

ICT for Outcomes Monitoring

27th November 2012

Raising awareness of a range of ICT tools that can be

deployed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of

outcomes monitoring.

Session objectives

• Learn how ICT can help with collecting, storing, retrieving and presenting outcomes information

• Understand more about the processes involved in implementing a holistic system

• See demonstrations looking at ‘off the shelf' systems selected for relevance in terms of services, client group and cost

• Start identifying specific tools that will enable you to better capture information relating to your organisations outcomes

• Draft an action plan to support adoption of these tools over the next year 6 – 12 months

How are you currently using ICT to capture & evidence Outcomes?

What challenges do you face?

Do you already have ideas for how you can improve this process?

Your current practice

Why ICT can help?

Greater efficiency:

• Automating manual processes

• Reducing paperwork

• Reducing staff time

Greater effectiveness:

• Sharing / accessing information

• Analysing data in more sophisticated ways

• Presenting information with greater impact & to a wider variety of audiences

Collecting Outcomes information

• Online surveys

• Website feedback

• Outreach laptops

• Digital / video cameras

• Dictaphones / mobile phones

• Diaries / blogs

Source: London Housing

Foundation

Storing Outcomes information

• Spreadsheets

• Databases• Developed in-house

• Custom built

• Off the shelf

• Digital filing

Source: London Housing Foundation

Online repositories

• e.g. Huddle, Dropbox, Flickr, Evernote

• Can be shared with team or external partners

•Can be accessed from anywhere including mobile devices

Retrieving & analysing Outcomes info

• Spreadsheets – filtering, sorting, pivot tables

• Database - queries & reports

• Exporting as csv files & importing to Excel

Presenting Outcomes info

• Charts & graphs

• Dashboards

• Websites

• Annual reviews

• Videos / Digital Storytelling

• Email signatures

Feedback on a website (www.illuminateict.org.uk)

Video footage

Developing a system…

First steps

Get together as a team and identify and agree the what, how, when, why and

then capture this on paper

Remember to include bother outputs and outcomes

Next steps…

Carry out an audit of current systems – what are you using, what works well, what frustrates you etc

Document how you are structuring your information e.g. the ‘fields’ you are using

Draw up a brief – include some background and specify what you need – remember to future proof

Next steps…

Then consider…

• Is this something that can be realistically developed in house?

• If not, research whether a system already exists to meet your needs?

• If not, budget for the bespoke option

Resources required?

Upgraded ICT infrastructure?

A new system or developments to an existing system?

Data migration or start from scratch?

Staff roles and training?

Selecting a database for monitoring

http://www.ces-vol.org.uk/Resources/CharitiesEvaluationServices/Documents/itforoutcomespublication-827-835.pdf

http://www.ces-vol.org.uk/tools-and-resources/planning-for-monitoring-evaluation/it-for-monitoring-and-evalaution/ict-case-studies

Outcomes starVersions currently available: Homelessness Star Mental Health Recovery Star Teen Star Alcohol Star Work Star Older Person's Star Family Star Community Star

Versions currently in development: Music Therapy Star Life Star for learning disability Spectrum Star for autism & aspergers syndrome Sexual Health Star Well-being Star Empowerment Star for domestic violence services

Teen StarThis version has been developed for and with teenagers in a

substance misuse setting but should be applicable in other settings.

Outcome areas (6):• Drugs and alcohol• Well-being • Safety and security • Structure and education • Behaviour and citizenship • Family and other key adults

These link to the five high-level Every Child Matters (ECM) outcomes….

Evidencing outcomes at different levels

The Outcomes Star can provide outcomes data at four levels:

For individual service users: the Star gives a snapshot of where they were on each outcome area when they joined the project and at each review – the difference between starting point and review shows the progress made in that time.

For a project as a whole: the average starting points on entry to the service and the amount of progress made in a specified time period or over their life-time in the project can be calculated – this gives a picture of the project outcomes. The Outcomes Star™ online can provide this information at the touch of a button.

For a group of projects across an organisation: the same information as above can be calculated for each project allowing comparison between different services. In addition users of the Outcomes Star™ online can compare the progress made by different sub-groups of clients, for example women and men or older and younger service users.

For similar projects across a sector: the same analyses as described above can be carried out for a sector as a whole. This makes it possible to establish benchmarks identifying good practice and building an outcomes-focused evidence base. This is only possible using the Outcomes Star™ online.

www.staronline.org.uk

www.lamplightdb.co.uk

Lamplight demos

Customising fields

Adding outcomes and seeing change

See your impact overall

www.socialimpacttracker.org

Developing an action plan

Outcomes & indicators

Using ICT to capture / present this information

Resources required – infrastructure & skills

Allocating responsibility / setting a timeline

Best practice issues Are you registered with the information

commissioner? www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Do you have a data protection & privacy policy and explain why you collect data and what it will be used for?

Do you ask for permission to use photos / videos?

Is your client data secure i.e. password protected, backed up, safeguarded with anti virus software and a firewall?

For more help contact:

Superhighways0208 255 8040

katewhite@superhighways.org.uk