Good evaluation is always about learning, and the most effective evaluation always connects to strategy.

You want to build monitoring, evaluation and learning practices into your ways of working. You want to ensure you have thought about the people, processes and systems you need to understand your outputs, outcomes and impact along the way, and embed them for the future.

For organisations driving social progress, success has multiple definitions. Success against one set of criteria could mean failure against another. Understanding the context is essential. Too many evaluations are audits. Box-ticking exercises. They are static and backward-looking, when your organisation needs to focus on the future. They promise certainty and attribution, when you know results are normally ambiguous and more about your contribution.

Impact management services from Firetail help you develop a Theory of Change, shape learning questions, conduct impact assessments and establish and deliver monitoring, learning and evaluation systems. We work with you and your stakeholders to build a shared understanding of context, capabilities and definitions of success to embed learning in your organisation.

Thinking about evaluation as a tool for strategy helps to establish a learning culture within your organisation. This can be a powerful driver of change.

Selected Insights:

Common mistakes and practical lessons for developing a Theory of Change

Case studies

Luminate

TI EU

Robert Bosch Stiftung

Evaluation from Firetail helps you measure the impact of a specific programme, project or campaign. We evaluate effectiveness, processes and impact. Together with you, we shape how you can improve your programmes in the future. We help you connect the findings to your strategy, planning and operations.

We have led formal evaluations commissioned by national and international development agencies, trusts and foundations, through to small, tailored learning programmes. We have particular expertise around evaluating programmes in complex policy environments, and working in a global, national and local context.

Our services include evaluations of campaigns and coalitions, programmes and projects. We have experience of both formative and summative methodologies, and develop a bespoke approach for every engagement.

Case studies

GSMA

Commonwealth Scholarship Commission

action/2015

To have an impact, you need to understand your sector, your stakeholders, customers and beneficiaries.

Firetail helps you to explore big, complex questions with large, diverse stakeholder audiences.

Our learning and insight work includes a full range of stakeholder engagement tools and qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. We can combine primary insights with synthesis of secondary sources into actionable frameworks. We will work with you to connect the insights from research to real, practical plans.

Our research experience includes bespoke engagement programmes for senior global decision makers, focus groups and research into volunteer needs, audience strategy and engagement. We have conducted literature reviews and synthesis of research landscapes into practical briefing and strategy materials.

We have particular experience working with senior global leaders and policymakers, academics, industry representatives, civil society groups, volunteers and campaigners. We have also conducted a number of assignments helping organisations understand the challenges of inclusion in their organisation and in their wider community.

Selected insights

What did we learn from “Breaking the Barriers”?

Case studies

The General Medical Council

Kings’ College London

SSAFA