My name is Kylie Hutchinson and I’m an independent evaluator and owner of Community Solutions Planning & Evaluation. Each year, I adapt a Christmas carol to share with my colleagues and clients.
Seasons greetings, and enjoy!
I’m Dreaming of a Data Party
(sung to the tune of “White Christmas”)
I’m dreaming of a data party
Intended users need to know
How the e-valu-ation
Gives a recommendation
To help their program thrive and grow
[chorus]
I’m dreaming of some sense-making
A time par-ti-ci-pa-to-ry
May your stakeholders be cheerful, and bright
And may all your sessions give insight
I’m dreaming of a data party
To get their input, oh so wise
Get their buy-in, no confusion
On the results and conclusion
When outcomes, go before their eyes
[chorus]
I’m dreaming of some data placemats
So they can play with their findings
Give it all consideration
And help with interpretation
See what, suggestions that it brings
[chorus]
I’m going to seek consen-sus
I know there might be some debate
And perhaps a few surprises
But we’ll see just what arises
‘Cause people, support what they create
I’m dreaming of some sense-making
A time par-ti-ci-pa-to-ry
May your stakeholders be cheerful, and bright
And may all your sessions give insight
Lesson Learned: Evaluation is a hard word to rhyme with. E-val-u-a-tion – five syllables! Even a word like Bethlehem has only three! No wonder we’re researchers and not poets.
Hot Tip: Facilitating data parties (a.k.a. sense-making sessions, results briefings, and participatory data analysis) is a great skill to include in your evaluator’s toolbox.
Rad Resource: You’ll find additional Christmas carols from previous years on my website.
Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this aea365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the aea365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an aea365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to aea365@eval.org . aea365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators.