5.2 Collect the data, share and reflect
The 5th step of the narrative change planning process – Evaluate reach & uptake - consists of two elements and on this page, we focus on the second: Collect the data, share and reflect.
- Decide on evaluation design
- Collect the data, share and reflect
Once you have an idea what you want to measure and how to measure it, it’s time to move onto the specific data collection plan and how the data will be recorded and shared.
Make the data collection/monitoring part of someone’s job on the campaign team.
This data collection work is key in implementing the campaign evaluation plan and needs to be part of someone’s job on the campaign team. Rather too often, the evaluation part of an advocacy campaign is put on the back burner as it is seen more as a project function rather than one directly feeding into the campaign. However, as was illustrated in the previous element, having the monitoring data current and feeding ongoing decision-making is key to having a full picture of the campaign responses and to inform the discussion of potential responses. Of course, it will also provide the basis for the broader and longer-term evaluation process.
Ensure that data is recorded in evaluation logs or spreadsheets on an ongoing basis.
Getting all the data together over the intended timeline of the campaign will involve team members repeatedly doing media and social media monitoring and recording instances of reference to the campaign or tracer words (such as campaign hashtags) in some type of log. Also, responses to the campaign will come back more anecdotally from team members who are involved in offline campaign activities and who are engaged with media and policymakers, and these stories also need to be logged. This logging process will also be the basis to do the campaign monitoring described in the last element.
Develop reports based on the log to stimulate evaluative reflections and discussions.
Going above the raw data in the log, the final stage in this process is the production of a report that reflects on whether targets were met or not and the reasons targets were hit or missed in this instance. This report will provide a valuable basis for a broader discussion of the effectiveness of the campaign, the potential next steps and what can be learned for further campaigns.
PLANNING CHECKLIST
Step 5.2 Collect the data, share and reflect
- Who will be assigned in the role of the monitor or evaluation data recorder for the campaign?
- What kind of log are you going to use to record the data you collect?
- How often should media and social media analysis be done?
- How will team members share the data generated in the field and through offline activities?
- In what kind of report will you share the data and reflections based on the data in the evaluation log? Who will you assign to develop it?
- How are you going to discuss and process the learnings from the campaign evaluation report?