Open AccessUsing rapid evaluation methods to assess service delivery changes: Lessons learned for evaluation practice during the COVID-19 pandemic
Author(s) -
Milbert Gawaya,
Desiree Terrill,
Eleanor Williams
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
evaluation journal of australasia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.365
H-Index - 11
eISSN - 2515-9372
pISSN - 1035-719X
DOI - 10.1177/1035719x211057630
Subject(s) - rigour , rubric , context (archaeology) , service delivery framework , scale (ratio) , computer science , process management , service (business) , management science , best practice , covid-19 , resource (disambiguation) , knowledge management , psychology , business , medicine , political science , marketing , engineering , mathematics , law , biology , paleontology , geometry , quantum mechanics , physics , mathematics education , computer network , pathology , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty)
The COVID-19 pandemic required large-scale service delivery changes for government, and provided the opportunity for evaluators to step up and support decision makers to understand the impact of these changes. Rapid evaluation methods (REM) provide a pragmatic approach for generating timely information for evidence-based policy and decision-making. Grounded in developmental and utilisation-focused evaluation theory, REM incorporates a team-based, mixed methods design, executed over a 6-8-week period. Customised rubrics were used to rigorously assess effectiveness and scalability of practice changes to inform COVID-19 response planning. REM is an alternative approach to full-scale evaluation models frequently implemented to assess policies and programs. Adapted use of REM suggests that meaningful insights can be gained through use of smaller scale evaluations. This article shares lessons learned from a novel rapid evaluation method applied in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The rapid evaluation approach was implemented to provide real-time insights and evaluative conclusions for 15 program and practice adaptations across Victorian health and human service settings. The article shares insights about the practical applicability of balancing rigour and timeliness when implementing a rapid evaluation, and strengths and limitations of working within a fast-paced evaluation framework. Findings can inform evaluative practice in resource and time-limited settings.