Audience response for the Validating strategies webinar

1. Validating Strategies Webinar – 14th August 2014
pg. 1
Audience Responses
Data is just information collected within a project and it either lacks judgement (what does it tell you) or it is not related to the results of a specific value question. Evidence will normally include data but has the addition of linking cause and effect, or input and result. It can prove (or disprove) associations and implications.
Data is the fact, Evidence is the fact and why. It's an interesting question as many public policies are full of facts, but no real evidence. In Scotland we are going through the independence debate and this is full of not even good facts, and certainly little evidence of what would happen, for good or ill.
Data is a purely numerical analysis of inputs which may drive a result. Evidence is the facts from user’s experiences and requirements which help drive a strategy.
Data is information that simply exists in itself - evidence is an interpretation of data (and may therefore be incorrect for various reasons).
Data is information; evidence is supported/validated information. Perspective on the data v evidence is that data can contribute to evidence, but data alone is not evidence. It’s critical for success that the users engaged both at benefit identification and analysis of benefits created AFTER the project.
"Data = pieces of information (but arguably useless without some form of interpretation or context) Evidence = something which shows that something else exists or is true."
Evidence is something that has happened - i.e. reality rather than supposition or presumption. Data is static fact - in statistical form and neither shows why or what the links are. For example a physiological test will show a result however will not explain why it is so!

2. Validating Strategies Webinar – 14th August 2014
pg. 2
Competition: Data is the information, figures whether statistical, financial or subjective, whereas the evidence is when this data is linked to an outcome or result, and whether any justification can be offered in relation to these once this data is combined and analysed as a whole.
Data is a "snapshot" number or raw info about the problem at hand, where as evidence is cause-effect, i.e. demonstration of the use.
Data is facts and statistics about Projects, Results, Users and Benefit and Evidence. Evidence is WHY we have the type of data we have, e.g. more people take the train to work this year than last year is Data, the reason WHY is Evidence and could be for a variety of reasons that needs to be established e.g. fares were lower, car parks were more expensive, trains were cleaner, ran on time, weren’t too crowded. Only the User can provide this evidence.
We collect mountains of raw data (facts and figures, until it is processed and outcomes and be linked to inputs via processes undertaken on them do we have any evidence (or lack of) to prove causality.
Data has no cause and effect information, its only showing current state of affairs. Evidence provides more certainty that something is likely to happen, which is helpful when validating strategies. Evidence would make strategy more robust, as it provide tangible link between the result and user.
To me, data is a pure fact or figure but is unlikely to include any information about the context. When I think of evidence, I think of a court room? An exhibit or article which has data attached to it (DNA) but the context maybe inferred rather than known. I tend to think of the difference between data and information? But then this is probably just semantics!
Data relates to statistics or numbers whereas evidence is identified through cause and effect. For example we know that there were 200 people logged in to watch Phil's webinar but we don't know why or what effect the webinar had on them. Perhaps some attended just for their CPD but didn't have any interest in the topic and although logged in they didn't have the sound on and didn't watch it. Or perhaps there were several people watching from one webinar system who had all read Phil's book and they were keen to get their questions answered.
Succinctly - surely evidence is the interpretation of data.
Data is objective, it’s how you use it to validate a strategy that matters. Evidence is subjective, its purpose is to validate a viewpoint on a strategy.
Data is factual and matter of fact but evidence is proof that something will actual work. For example, if I have data and information and a project plan that shows the cost and process of building a new park that’s great but the evidence that people will use the park is the overflowing park across the road from the park that I want to build shows people within the area have a desire to use the park. The benefit is healthy and happy kids as they all get the chance to use a park. The evidence is that children will use a park if it’s there. Both the data and evidence need to form part of the planning process.

3. Validating Strategies Webinar – 14th August 2014
pg. 3
Evidence provides insight which shapes and develops projects in terms of supporting and informing the transitions from definition through delivery of benefits to the user. Data is used to manage the project when in progress and to check/monitor performance against key metrics.
Evidence is data that is relevant, accurate and can be validated.
I think besides Data and Evidence, we should also clarify the difference between Data and Information. I assume it goes from Data to Information, and then to Evidence if appropriate and relevant for our purpose?
In my opinion the difference between data and evidence is the later requires the former to exist but data by itself has a lesser value, this is because until it is substantiated it doesn’t become evidence and therefore cannot be a bases for decision making. Data is effectively evidence without the context and assessment to enable it to be useful, whereas evidence is applying sense and reason to the data to develop or prove a hypothesis.
Data is hard and fast statistic based, evidence is seeing the real world interpretation of the data. Data can be cut any way you like! Evidence is opinion, view, external influence factors, reason, and explanation.
Data is a series of facts and observations where as evidence is the grounds on which you can establish conclusions and judgement which can be analysis using data.
Data is what we hold about an individual. Evidence is when data is aggregated via appropriate statistical work.
Evidence is the reason why something happens, it is the cause and result of something which could be based on previous examples and practices or through initial testing or focus groups. Data is however, the numbers or figures only and doesn't explain the cause or any reasoning behind the project.
Data tells your Stakeholders what they want to hear and evidence tells your Stakeholders what they need to hear.
"Evidence contains cause-and-effect information, whereas data doesn't. All projects involve the management of change, and evidence describes how effective the result delivered by a project is in changing the behaviour of users to create benefits. My perspective: Robust evidence appears to rely more than just simplistically linking Result X to User Behaviour Y. It would seem that to really 'understand' the evidence, we need to appreciate how the result was created - i.e. - how were the user benefits defined and how were the users engaged with throughout the project in order to encourage them to adopt' the result."
Data is records / facts / information relating to a specific part of the PRUB cycle. Evidence is a cause and effect based relationship which demonstrates a part of the strategy.
Data tells you it's raining. Evidence tells you that most people will get out of the rain and go for a coffee!

4. Validating Strategies Webinar – 14th August 2014
pg. 4
"Data? What is going on based on information available? Unanalysed! Evidence? Result of what’s going on. Analysed!"
Data is a collection of numbers, which emerges from projects, results and users. Evidence is more than data, it includes cause and effect information which validates the link between the project being planned and the benefits wished to be realised.
Data is raw information relating to the item you are looking at, it can consist of any type of information (numbers, text, diagrams, etc...). Evidence is the data that directly relate to the argument in question, making the basis of reasoning. Evidence is factual information which can be used to prove or dis-prove a statement whereas data is simply information. For example if I want to prove the statement "my software is ready to ship to customers" I might use the defect find rate to attempt to prove or dis-prove this statement. The number of defects raised by each individual is just data (in this case)
I see data as being the raw information - statistics, figures, results etc. which are not a point of view but pure fact. Evidence is data which promotes or supports someone’s point of view / opinion or conclusion. So data has no reference to what the data infers, evidence is using the data to infer or prove a conclusion.
My perspective to the difference between Data and Evidence: Data is empirical statistics and facts about defined aspects of a subject matter that can be collected and documented. Evidence is the combination of different data presented in a sensible manner to provide observable proofs to validate an assertion, a conclusion, a projection or a theory. Additionally... Data can be used to provide the evidence about a subject matter or to disprove it or to judge the consequences.
Data is numbers in each PRUB i.e. project data for example cost, evidence is information in between each PRUB part. The Evidence is the intellectual review of the Data. I see the Data as the paint, the brush, the canvas ... the Evidence is the piece of art created with these pieces and the artists understand of the materials and the view he is looking at - the interpretation of the world around him.
The difference between data and evidence is data tells you what has happened and evidence tells you why it will happen, as evidence explains the relationship between cause and effect.
Data is information, evidence is data that supports a claim.
Data is only static numbers while evidence is about cause and effect. Evidence occurs largely in the gaps between PRUB and should not be assumed but ascertained.