Fact sheet 5: Methods for inclusive evaluation

Inclusive evaluation are those that allow everyone to engage and take part on a fair basis. Engagement can be a powerful way for people with disability to share their experiences directly with decision-makers to influence change. Many evaluations use a combination of methods to meet their goals and be inclusive and accessible for diverse communities.  

Examples of methods

Over the following pages are examples of methods evaluators can use to support inclusive evaluation.

Surveys

A survey is a set of questions or statements that participants respond to or answer. Surveys focus on specific ideas. They are also fast and don’t cost too much money.

You can learn more about creating accessible forms and surveys on the Good Practice Guidelines for Engaging with People with Disability.

Photovoice

Photovoice is a research method where people use photos to share their experiences and ideas. It is participatory, meaning the people involved help guide the research and tell their own stories visually. It combines photography and storytelling to share lived experience. It supports participants to express themselves. Photovoice also gives researchers the chance to work with marginalised communities.

The ‘Through my eyes’ research project is an example of Photovoice. The project worked with women with disability in Australia to explore themes of identity, inclusion and disability.

You can learn more information about Photovoice on the Better Evaluation website. It includes examples and links to more resources.

Most Significant Change

Most Significant Change (MSC) is a participatory approach used to understand the key changes resulting from a policy, program, or service. It centres on real stories shared by those involved and includes 3 main steps:

Storytelling: Participants describe the most significant change they have seen or experienced because of the policy, program, or service.

Selection: The group reviews and selects the stories they believe are the most important.

Reflection: They discuss why these stories matter and what they reveal about the impact of the work.

You can learn more about MSC on the Better Evaluation website. This includes examples and a step-by-step guide on how to do it.

Kitchen table conversations

Kitchen table conversations are informal meetings held in places where people feel comfortable. For example, homes and cafes. It focuses on community and gives people who are hard to reach a chance to take part.

Kitchen table conversations give participants a chance to talk about issues that matter to them. These talks are often shaped by questions from community groups or local governments, but there is no formal plan.

Health Consumers Queensland have been using this approach since 2018. They note the method’s strengths, for example it lets participants lead the conversation. They also note it gives a more broad and diverse understanding of the community.

Workshops

Workshops are short sessions where people come together to learn, talk about or work on a certain topic or skill. It is usually interactive and hands-on, encouraging everyone to take part.

Focus groups

Focus groups are a practical way to collect information from several people at once about a certain topic. This is useful if evaluators have limited time and resources. Focus groups help evaluators gather important insights from participants, managers and community stakeholders.  

Having participants connect with each other can be beneficial. Though, sometimes being in a group can make participants feel pressured to agree with others.

It’s important that the person leading the focus group has the right skills. This can make sure that everyone has a chance to share their thoughts, values and diverse opinions. This can also make sure someone keeps the conversation on track.

Going through notes or recordings from focus groups can take a lot of time. It can be helpful for the evaluation team to work together to find common themes and analyse the information.

Citizens’ Jury

A Citizens’ Jury is a panel of diverse people who have been randomly selected. They think about and discuss important issues. They also develop recommendations for decision-makers.

Citizens’ Juries aim to be fair, representative, well-informed, impartial and thoughtful in how they explore topics.

An example of a Citizens’ Jury in Australia is the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Citizens’ Jury Scorecard project. This project used the method to review how well the NDIS works in some areas. 

Culturally grounded methods

Culturally grounded methods are ways to do engagements that are culturally safe and appropriate. They focus on the values and beliefs of different communities.

Aboriginal Participatory Action Research (APAR) is an example of culturally grounded research. It is a strengths-based research method based on First Nations knowledge systems, cultural practices and world views.