There’s a scenario I get involved in every so often – “Glenn, can you evaluate this project for us?”… sometimes the scenario plays out as:-
๐ฐThere’s been some financial commitment (say, ยฃ10m) – to “do something about business growth”
๐ซ๏ธThere was a lack of clear rationale and objectives for the ยฃ10m, and what it was spent on
๐ฌThe project was approved and began in 2020, there was no clear articulation of what success would look like in 2025
๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป:
1) a clear rationale and clear objectives;
2) delivery is credible and the best option available; and
3) set targets, aims and ambitions so you know if you’ve been successful.
9/10 times a project runs into trouble because one or all of these three have not been properly articulated at the outset.
Monitoring and evaluation plans are pretty much essential these days – but why do them? a few reasons:
– Reputation
– Organisational performance
– Value for money
– Programme/project performance
– Contract management
– Risk appraisal
– Financial due diligence, approval and management
– Audit and external scrutiny
๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด & ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐: ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐ช๐ฉ๐จ ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐ / ๐๐จ๐จ๐ช๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ง…
๐Can you tell them what a success story you have?
๐With hard numbers, results, impacts?
๐With valid estimates of value for money and ROI?
๐And an informed view of what works, and how to improve delivery?
๐Or how you could deliver something great, with less money?
6 months ago – I had a client that wanted an evaluation based on them doing more of the same with a similar budget. Instead of planning for scrutiny, they planned for for a pat on the back… 2 months ago the government annouches major cuts, and a big influencer is saying “there’s no proof any of this works…”
๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐… ๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐ช๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ ๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ช๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ค๐ง ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ข๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐. This means:
๐ understand the lessons learnt
๐ evidence activities, outcomes, impact
๐ estimate VfM
๐ be able to explain why poor or great performance has happened
๐ next iteration should cut out the poor performing bits / or be able to use the evaluation findings for continuous improvement; and find efficiency savings
๐ be prepared for some tough questions
5. Beyond slogans: a grown-up conversation about UK industrial strategy (Article 5 of 5 on industrial policy)
The preceding four articles have sought to build perspectives on the role of industrial development in local and regional economies. In this final article. I tie this together by looking at the role of industrial policy and strategy. The perennial question for the UK:...
