Data is critical to making informed decisions. But what exactly is data? Simply put, data is information—any information that can shed light on your programs or organization. Evaluation, in particular, relies on systematically collected and analyzed data to drive informed decision-making. Embracing a Data-Informed CultureA data-informed culture is one that recognizes the inherent value of…
Entering undergraduate studies, I studied Psychology, where potential career paths seem to lead straight to either being a psychologist or therapist. During my undergraduate studies, I was given the opportunity to be a research assistant. This opportunity would be pivotal, as it was a career path that I didn’t know existed and would continue to…
We have celebrated many milestones since our first program evaluation project. We have grown from providing needs assessment, evaluation, and strategic planning consulting services in Orange County, California in 2002, to offering our consulting services nationwide with a 40+ person team that spans from coast to coast. As we concluded our 20th Anniversary Celebration year,…
As our firm concludes our yearlong 20th anniversary celebration, I reflected back on how EVALCORP began. I have long held an appreciation for engaging stakeholders, using data to inform decision-making, and strengthening communities through participatory evaluation. Making a difference and “Measuring What Matters” began decades ago when I was fortunate to have had incredible mentors…
As the news of the terrorist attack in Southern Israel spread on Saturday, October 7th, it sent shockwaves through the country and profoundly impacted millions around the world. For me, like countless others, the events in Israel and the response of many to support Hamas’ attack left me deeply upset and confused. As I returned…
It has become a tradition for EVALCORP to throw a Halloween Costume Party for our team members to compete for a chance to win some cash prizes. This year, we enjoyed another round of awesome costumes together with our newest team member, Kaylen, who got to start her first day with us in her costume…
This year, EVALCORP had our annual team day at Disneyland California Adventure Park. We had such a great time during our last year’s outing at Disneyland Park, it was only fitting that we visit the other park this year. Even though the temperature was scorching 90 degrees, we didn’t let it get in the way…
EVALCORP has had the opportunity to conduct a program evaluation for two amazing Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) caregiver support programs in Los Angeles and San Jose, California. We conducted a comprehensive mixed-methods evaluation of Visión y Compromiso’s (VyC) Family Caregivers Project (FCP) in 2021 and San Jose Public Library’s (SJPL) FFN Caregiver Support Network…
How should programs implement a custom measure? If you are implementing a custom measure as part of a program evaluation or needs assessment, there are several things to keep in mind. Once you have developed a custom measure, the best thing to do with it is to fully document its development and share it with…
How are custom measures developed? My colleagues who are measurement specialists lament that the most common way that custom measures are developed is for someone on the project team to “just start writing items.” If this approach actually worked well for the making measures, I wouldn’t be so hard on it, but the truth is…