The Process - Documenting Progress and Using Feedback

What do we mean by this process?

 

Documenting Progress and Using Feedback is a process of gathering and using "data as an energizer" (Hogan & Murphey, 2002). When groups engage in this process, they measure, communicate, and use early and ongoing indicators of progress to assess and improve an initiative (rather than waiting until the intervention is over to assess what has changed). Because it can take many years to change population-level outcomes, indicators of long-term outcomes are not very useful to guide day-to-day activities and adjustments.  This process helps groups to engage in early and ongoing communication about goals, their project's theory of change, accomplishments, and their current and potential contribution toward making a difference. Participation in this process can help initiatives identify and market successes that can help in Sustaining the Work.

The framework below shows five phases (see A-E below) and twelve processes (see boxes) to advance community change and improvement. As illustrated, Documenting Progress and Using Feedback is a key process to help groups understand what they are doing, how it contributes to their goals, and areas for adjustment.

Core competencies related to this process include: (a) Evaluating the initiative, (b) Developing a framework or model of change, (c) Increasing participation and membership, (d) Developing an intervention, (e) Writing a grant application for funding and (f) Sustaining the work or initiative. See the CTB Toolkits.