We all respond to the situation that we find ourselves in, and that is true of any intervention that you might design: it is a response, framed in a particular way to a situation that you and others have identified Read more…
Ok, I know, most consultants wouldn’t really like to be referred to as glue or ‘stuff’ (stuff is currently my favourite word). But it is a useful way to think about the value that consultancy can bring to an organisation. Read more…
Once again it was my honour to host the EUConsult Autumn Congress, this time in Edinburgh. This year we focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how they are being implemented in Europe. It is easy to think of Read more…
When you’re building a new monitoring and evaluation strategy or plan for an organisation the one thing that you need to ensure is that the whole team – from the CEO down – understands why M&E is needed and why Read more…
A few months ago I included a throw-away comment that clients often determine what the key evaluation questions are going to be before hiring an evaluator. Well, a client took me at my word and asked me and a colleague Read more…
I can see you sitting there thinking “yes I know my stakeholders, what is he on about?” It is one thing to know who your stakeholders are, but do you know why they are involved in your project – what’s in it Read more…
It is still too often the case that evaluators write recommendations and then leave them in a report that sits idling away on a server somewhere (let’s get real: no-one prints our reports anymore so the proverbial dust-ridden shelf is Read more…
Being a consultant is fantastic and frustrating. You get to work with loads of organisations and different teams who are all trying to make the world a better place, and making the world a better place is more important now Read more…
No, this is not another blog post that tells you to read more, take another course, volunteer for a worthy local cause. I bet you have already read a load of posts telling you what this influencer is reading on Read more…
It is a huge privilege to watch organisations grow and develop, helping them at critical moments to get over obstacles and learn from interventions and past experiences. Some evaluators are content not to engage too deeply with their clients for Read more…