EVALUATION PLANNING

A good evaluation begins with a good plan. Lija has nearly 20 years of experience designing evaluations that meet the needs of funders, program managers, and other stakeholders. The goal of every evaluation is to ensure that the evaluation provides accurate and actionable information. Tools such as logic models and theories of action can be helpful in the planning process, but often it's a matter of in-depth conversations between evaluators, program staff, and funders to determine shared goals and measurable outcomes. Let us help you develop a rigorous evaluation that is within your budget and timeline following best practices in the field and the American Evaluation Association's Guiding Principles for Evaluators.

SURVEY DESIGN

Lija is a recognized expert in survey design and analysis. In 2009 she received an American Association of Public Opinion Research's Roper Fellowship for promising survey researchers, and she has frequently conducted workshops and seminars on survey research methods. She can help you to determine what type of survey to gather information to answer your questions, how to reach your population, and what survey modes would most cost-effectively meet your needs. Lija can write survey questions, program online surveys, and conduct data analysis - or build the capacity of your organization to conduct surveys yourselves.

QUALITATIVE & QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Qualitative studies find meaning in words - such as interviews, focus groups, or case studies. Quantitative studies find meaning in numbers - such as analyses of data using statistics and data visualizations. Often, evaluations needs both qualitative and quantitative data to fully understand phenomena. Lija is experienced in conducting both qualitative and quantitative studies and uses a pragmatic approach to mixing data within a single study.

REPORTING & DISSEMINATION

Knowledge unshared is knowledge unknown. Lija has co-authored 12 publications in peer-reviewed journals, has presented over 20 times at state and national conferences, and has written too many evaluation reports to remember. She enjoys working collaboratively with clients to ensure that the findings from evaluations are shared to increase knowledge of effective interventions and evaluation methodologies.