Delyth Lloyd (Victorian Department of Health and Human Services), Vanessa Hood (Rooftop Social), Megan Kerr (Victorian Department of Education and Training), Kate Nichols (Victorian Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources), Amanda Reeves (Victorian Department of Education and Training), Roberta Thorburn (Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science), Eleanor Williams (Victorian Department of Health and Human Services), Martin Hall (New South Wales Department of Education)Building an organisation's evaluation culture and capability is not an exact science. Different approaches are suited to different contexts and must be responsive to the organisation's individual characteristics. Factors such as leadership, systems, processes, staff attitudes and skills will inform what strategies will be most effective in transforming an organisation's evaluation culture. Who leads the evaluation capability effort and the resources available will also determine the approach. Sometimes evaluation capability building is led by a central team, other times it is dispersed throughout the organisation, or contracted-in via external consultants. Sometimes the funding and resources are flowing, while other times there is only a trickle.
So what is the current situation in the public sector at State and Commonwealth level, a sector undergoing marked transformation and reform with increased demand for accountability, outcomes-thinking, evaluation and evidence-driven ways of working? In this context, what different approaches are being used to help strengthen organisational evaluation culture and capability building? Are evaluation capability building endeavours equipping government organisations to thrive in this time of change?
This interactive session will explore the current evaluation capability and culture building approaches being used in five large State and Commonwealth government departments, including the:
- Victorian Department of Education and Training
- Victorian Department of Health and Human Services
- Victorian Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources
- Australian Department of the Environment and Energy
- New South Wales Department of Education
- Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
The session will be invaluable for those who work in, or with, any government agency as well as those interested in evaluation capability building more broadly. Each organisation will showcase different evaluation culture and capability building approaches tailored to their context. A facilitated mini-workshop will then invite participants to reflect on the implications for their own organisations and co-create practical strategies for enhancing evaluation capability and culture building practice in different contexts.
