By Heather Mason and Jennifer Bisgard
Last week’s EvalTuesdayTip discussed the “Evaluation Management Diamond”: a visual illustration of the need to balance cost, time, quality, AND scope while managing the evaluation client’s expectations. Scope is as important as the other three factors; a lack of clearly defined scope will almost certainly lead to the dreaded scope creep.
But how can we manage our clients’ expectations of scope in the earliest stages of an evaluation? Clients often aren’t trained evaluators themselves, and sometimes don’t know how to draft a clearly defined evaluation scope in their request for proposals.
One of the best ways to manage a client’s scope expectations, especially in the earliest stages of the project, is to include an inception report as the first task of an evaluation. An inception report is the first evaluation deliverable. In its best form, it is used to refine the scope (particularly the evaluation questions and methodology), time, quality, expectations and cost.
The inception period can last any time between 10 days and 6 weeks. When Khulisa does an inception phase, we:
· Meet with the evaluation client (often the donor so not the same as the evaluand which is the subject of an evaluation, typically a program or system rather than a person)
· Meet with the evaluand and their stakeholders
· Workshop the evaluation questions, methods, and use requirements with the client, evaluand and stakeholders who will utilize the evaluation
· Review the evaluand’s routine monitoring data
· Assess the availability of relevant documentation (like the evaluand’s theory of change, reports, monitoring analysis, evidence of outputs and outcomes)
An inception report is a great way to head off potential scope creep issues down the line. The report provides an opportunity to educate clients on the feasibility of the proposed timeline and costs, the number, type and complexity of evaluation questions, and to ensure expectations are understood.
In Khulisa’s experience, when bidding on an evaluation with an unclear or incomplete scope of work, it’s essential to include an inception report as the first project task. Read more about inception reports and download resources at BetterEvalution.org.
Stay tuned next week for another tip on avoiding scope creep during evaluations.