Workshop Program

As part of the organisational evaluation capability hierarchy model the role of evaluation at the top of the strategic hierarchy of the organisation is seen as crucial in order that evaluation be properly appreciated and applied throughout the organisation.

The author's model of strategic evaluation called D.E.S.E.R.T. (Directors' Effectiveness Self-Evaluation Research Tool), is a way of linking strategic planning, risk management, with Directors' measurement of the effectiveness of their organisational governance role.

This workshop will explain the ingredients of the D.E.S.E.R.T. measurement system that is oriented to the roles and competencies of Boards of Directors of Not-for-Profit organisations. The participants will gain knowledge and insights into the role of evaluation in the governance of the organisation, and a useful tool which can assist Boards of Directors to evaluate their effectiveness in their governance and evaluation roles.

This workshop will explain the role of strategic evaluation in these organisational maturity models. It is argued that evaluation practitioners could benefit from incorporating these tools in evaluation practice and in organisational recommendations.

Participants are encouraged to bring their organisation's or board's strategic plans and/or board member contracts/roles/goals so that we can trial the D.E.S.E.R.T. instrument in the session.

The aims are to facilitate an understanding and to develop the skills of participants to be able to:

deal with the evaluation in the context of organisational governance;
contribute to the differing roles of organisational evaluation capacity building in community and government organisations;
evaluate the governance of program and community planning processes; and
design and implement associated government and community accountability reporting requirements.

This workshop is aimed at… participants interested in governance and who have some experience of evaluation (of any background in not-for-profit organisations).