Book by 30 September with the code ‘FPCVIP’ for a 20% discount!
Overview
Different design approaches, such as design thinking, human centred design and co-design, have become more and more popular over the last ten years as a means of addressing complex problems. These approaches are underpinned by an emphasis on understanding and incorporating the ‘human’ that experiences problems or issues first hand. With the use of different design approaches increasing across society, there is a need for clarity over what these design approaches are, what they mean for staff who design and deliver programs that draw on such approaches.
Similarly, evaluation is a key aspect of project and program delivery, and yet it is often left to the end or is an afterthought. In some ways this occurs because of a lack of familiarity with when and how to embed evaluation into programs. Ultimately, good evaluation practice starts during the design process and provides a way to continuously improve and demonstrate impact.
This unique two-day workshop brings together the worlds of design and evaluation to provide participants with the opportunity to increase their knowledge and skills in program design and evaluation.
Why this workshop?
As a program or project leader, we will likely have a sense of the importance of an intentional approach to design and evaluation to the success of a program. However, we may not have the capacity to engage expertise in these areas when it is most valuable; the planning phase. This workshop aims to empower internal leaders with the basic principles, process and tools of design and evaluation to set projects up for the best possible chance of success.
What will you learn?
The workshop will be centred around a hands-on process of design and evaluation planning. Using a real-world case-study and in small groups, participants will step through a process to understand the problem, rapidly prototype different solutions and develop associated processes for evaluation.
Day 1 – Foundations and Co-Design
Day 1 provides an introduction to some of the key foundations for designing and implementing co-design and evaluation. This includes:
- providing an introduction to different design approaches (design thinking, human centred design and co-design), including the distinctions between the three
- introducing the role of program logics and theories of change for evaluation and co-design
- introducing aspects of systems thinking to identify appropriate intervention points
- outlining the process for developing a cohesive co-design and evaluation process.
Participants will then be taken through the process of developing a co-design process using a mixture of theory and real-world examples to illustrate the principles, processes and tools available. In small groups, participants will then be taken through a design process to address an identified complex program. This includes exploring the nature of the problem, generating creative ideas through rapid prototyping and identifying assumptions.
Day 1 will end with the small groups having produced a series of concepts to be taken forward into Day 2.
Day 2 – Meaningful Evaluation
Day 2 incorporates the final stages of the design process, including finalising the prototype intervention or innovation to take forward into the next stage (evaluation planning). Starting with a re-introduction to evaluation (building on elements from Day 1), participants will then be taken through an evaluation planning process. This includes:
- revisiting the theory of change / program logic and identifying key assumptions
- developing key evaluation questions
- identifying indicators and means of collecting data
- resourcing the evaluation.
Day 2 concludes with a consolidation of the intervention, including how it will be monitored and its impact evaluated. The small groups will prepare a pitch that outlines the problem, the chosen intervention (and why that intervention), their approach to evaluation ad how success will be measured.
Participants will be provided with a copy of all of the resources from the two days (including slides, templates and handouts) to allow what is learnt and practiced to be replicated back in the working environment.
Is this for you?
This workshop draws on Whitelight Education and First Person Consulting’s extensive experience in co-design and evaluation. Both organisations recognise and encourage the meaningful incorporation of both design and evaluation, but also the challenges for staff in organisations (private and public) to do this. As such, this workshop requires no pre-existing knowledge of either design or evaluation, and is targeted at program managers, project officers, executives and those in organisations involved in writing funding bids or grant applications.
The workshop will also be useful for those responsible for implementing programs, and/or are required to establish and oversee evaluations.
The knowledge and skills taught through this workshop are applicable across all content areas and sectors – our emphasis is on a meaningful and highly practical process that will leave participants equipped to undertake meaningful co-design and evaluation.
Past participants:
“I would recommend this training to anyone involved in program and project design and delivery! The practical component allowed us to consolidate new skills and ask lots of questions in a supportive environment, ensuring that I wouldn’t forget what I had just learned.”
Your facilitators: Christian Duell (White Light Education); Matt Healey (First Person Consulting)
Christian and Matt have developed this unique workshop offering drawing on their respective experience in program design and evaluation.
Christian Duell is an award-winning educator, facilitator and social entrepreneur. He is the founder of White Light Education and a previous Manager of the Asia Pacific Design Library. With a background in architecture, Christian has over 15 years of design education and facilitation experience across a wide range of contexts. Since 2016 Christian has facilitated over 100 workshops and projects with over 2,000 people across Australia for organisations such as headspace, UNICEF, Red Cross Australia, Australian universities and state and local government.
Christian is passionate about empowering individuals and organisations, through the tools of creativity, to have greater freedom and quality of choice. He specialises in offering facilitation and training in the areas of design thinking, human-centred design and co-design, with a focus of tackling complex social challenges.
