This document summarizes the needs assessment methods used to evaluate inconsistent project status reporting for a client. These included analyzing archival project data, interviews, a cause analysis worksheet, and surveys. Lessons learned emphasized thorough planning, using data collection tools to inform analysis, pilot testing instruments, focusing interviews, and keeping surveys concise.
Developing a Workplace Health and Safety Action Plan with NVivoQSR International
See how data was gathered from multiple sources, including consultation sessions, focus groups and a survey. See how the thematic analysis was conducted, including how NVivo features such as auto-coding, word frequency queries, and matrix coding queries were used to inform the analysis.
Conducting Integrated Mixed Methods Research and Analysis Using NVivoQSR International
Strategies to integrate qualitative and quantitative data in mixed methods research and evaluation. See an overview of the different types of mixed methods research; how NVivo handles combining qualitative and quantitative data and how specific analytical techniques can be used on any project to synthesize and summarize mixed methods data.
In this webinar, we discuss the basics of moderating effects and mediating effects. We explain the differences between moderation and mediation, when moderation and mediation are appropriate to conduct, and the statistical analyses used to test moderation and mediation.
Selecting an Ideal Survey Instrument for a Quantitative StudyStatistics Solutions
During this presentation, we will discuss the key components for selecting an appropriate survey instrument for your research. We will examine sources for identifying surveys and the reliability/validity statistics to incorporate into the methodology chapter.
EDLD808 Program Evaluation Final Project - Online EducationPaul Gruhn
This presentation is a summary of a program evaluation project I performed on the CSC230 Database for Web Applications course, which I teach online, to Community College Students.
Presentation by Lini Wollenberg, Low Emissions Development Leader, CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) at the Green Climate Fund Independent Evaluation Unit Learning-Oriented Real-Time Impact Assessment (LORTA)
Program Inception Workshop
July 24-26, 2018 Bangkok, Thailand
A concise presentation of The Gilbert Six Cell behavior management model. I designed this while working as Director of Human Performance Technology at Sylvan Learning Systems PACE consulting unit
Developing a Workplace Health and Safety Action Plan with NVivoQSR International
See how data was gathered from multiple sources, including consultation sessions, focus groups and a survey. See how the thematic analysis was conducted, including how NVivo features such as auto-coding, word frequency queries, and matrix coding queries were used to inform the analysis.
Conducting Integrated Mixed Methods Research and Analysis Using NVivoQSR International
Strategies to integrate qualitative and quantitative data in mixed methods research and evaluation. See an overview of the different types of mixed methods research; how NVivo handles combining qualitative and quantitative data and how specific analytical techniques can be used on any project to synthesize and summarize mixed methods data.
In this webinar, we discuss the basics of moderating effects and mediating effects. We explain the differences between moderation and mediation, when moderation and mediation are appropriate to conduct, and the statistical analyses used to test moderation and mediation.
Selecting an Ideal Survey Instrument for a Quantitative StudyStatistics Solutions
During this presentation, we will discuss the key components for selecting an appropriate survey instrument for your research. We will examine sources for identifying surveys and the reliability/validity statistics to incorporate into the methodology chapter.
EDLD808 Program Evaluation Final Project - Online EducationPaul Gruhn
This presentation is a summary of a program evaluation project I performed on the CSC230 Database for Web Applications course, which I teach online, to Community College Students.
Presentation by Lini Wollenberg, Low Emissions Development Leader, CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) at the Green Climate Fund Independent Evaluation Unit Learning-Oriented Real-Time Impact Assessment (LORTA)
Program Inception Workshop
July 24-26, 2018 Bangkok, Thailand
A concise presentation of The Gilbert Six Cell behavior management model. I designed this while working as Director of Human Performance Technology at Sylvan Learning Systems PACE consulting unit
Gilbert and Harless: So Happy Together Eboni DuBose
ISPI Conference Workshop by Beth McGoldrick, RiverSource Distributors, and Carol Porter, Boise State University
Analysis does not have to be daunting and should never be skipped. Performing a front-end analysis (FEA) can improve your intake process and lead to more reliable results.
Usability Testing Basics: What's it All About? at Web SIG ClevelandCarol Smith
Presented to Web SIG Cleveland on May 21, 2011 at Notre Dame College in South Euclid (Cleveland), Ohio.
Learn all you need to get started:
- Where you can conduct studies (does it have to be in a lab?)
- Types of studies (RITE, think aloud, etc.)
- Tips for recruiting participants
- Tips for Interacting with participants without biasing the study
- Preparing for the study (materials needed, forms, etc.)
- Guidance for analyzing the study
SCIENTIFIC MERIT ACTION RESEARCH TEMPLATE (SMART) FORMa..docxkenjordan97598
SCIENTIFIC MERIT ACTION RESEARCH TEMPLATE (SMART) FORM
a.k.a. “Research Plan”
School of Public Service LeadershipScientific Merit Process
Learners who are doing action research for their dissertation will use this form to go through the process of scientific merit review. The goals of this process are: (1) to facilitate the planning of the details of your action research project, (2) to ensure that the proposed project has rigor and allows for scientific merit review, and (3) to facilitate your progress through the dissertation. This is not an addition to your dissertation but rather a step to assist you in obtaining mentor, committee, school, and IRB approval more efficiently. You must obtain mentor, committee, and school approval of your Research Plan before submitting your IRB application.
Scientific Merit Criteria
The following criteria will be used to establish scientific merit. The purpose of the review will determine if the proposed project:
1. Contributes to society by improving a practice
2. Documents need for change by utilizing evidence-based needs assessment
3. Meets certain “Hallmarks” of a good action research project including:
a. Action research design
i. Practical
ii. Participatory
iii. Defined Action PlanScientific Merit ApprovalYour completed SMART form will be approved, not approved, or deferred for major or minor revisions. Your committee will use a checklist to determine if the study meets the criteria for scientific merit and the committee will provide specific feedback designed to identify any issues that need to be resolved related to the scientific merit. You will have up to three opportunities to submit this form for committee approval.
Obtaining scientific merit approval does not guarantee you will obtain IRB approval. The IRB review will focus on ethical issues. A detailed ethical review will be conducted during the process of IRB approval.Recommendations for How to Use This FormThe SMART form is intended to help you and your mentor plan the design and details of your dissertation. Once your mentor approves your SMART form, your entire committee will review the form for scientific merit. When the entire committee approves your SMART form, then it will be submitted for school approval. It is recommended that you use this form in a step-by-step way to help plan your design. Expect that you will go through a few revisions before your mentor and committee approve this form.
Tips for filling out the SMART form:
· Prepare your answers in a separate Word document, as editing and revising will be easier.
· Copy/paste items into the right-hand fields when they are ready.
· Don’t delete the descriptions in the left column!
· Don’t lock the form, as that will stop you from editing and revising within the form.
· Leave no blank spaces in the form. If an item does not apply to your study, type “NA” in its field.
· Read the item descriptions carefully. Items request very specific information. Be sure you understa.
SMART Learner FormPSL Scientific Merit Action Research Te.docxrosemariebrayshaw
SMART: Learner Form
PSL Scientific Merit Action Research Template (SMART) Form (Research Plan)Scientific Merit Process
Learners who are doing action research for their dissertation will use this form to go through the process of scientific merit review. The goals of this process are: (1) to facilitate the planning of the details of your action research project, (2) to ensure that the proposed project has rigor and allows for scientific merit review, and (3) to facilitate your progress through the dissertation. This is not an addition to your dissertation but a step to assist you in obtaining mentor, committee, school, and IRB approval more efficiently. You must obtain mentor, committee, and school approval of your research plan before submitting your IRB application.Scientific Merit Criteria The following criteria will be used to establish scientific merit. The purpose of the review will determine if the proposed project: 1. Contributes to society by improving a practice.2. Documents need for change by utilizing evidence-based needs assessment.3. Meets certain “hallmarks” of a good action research project including:· Action research design:· Practical.· Participatory.· Defined action plan.Scientific Merit ApprovalYour completed SMART form will be approved, not approved, or deferred for major or minor revisions. Your committee will use a checklist to determine if the study meets the criteria for scientific merit and the committee will provide specific feedback designed to identify any issues related to the scientific merit that must be resolved. You will have up to three opportunities to submit this form for committee approval.
Obtaining scientific merit approval does not guarantee you will obtain IRB approval. The IRB review will focus on ethical issues. A detailed ethical review will be conducted during the process of IRB approval.Recommendations for How to Use This FormThe SMART form is intended to help you and your mentor plan the design and details of your dissertation. Once your mentor approves your SMART form, your entire committee will review the form for scientific merit. After the entire committee approves your SMART form, it will be submitted for school approval. It is recommended that you use this form in a step-by-step way to help plan your design. Expect that you will go through a few revisions before your mentor and committee approve this form.
Tips for filling out the SMART form:
· Prepare your answers in a separate Word document for ease of editing and revision.
· Copy and paste items into the right-hand fields when they are ready.
· Retain the descriptions in the left column.
· Keep the form unlocked for ongoing editing and revision.
· Leave no blank spaces in the form. If an item does not apply to your study, type “NA” in its field.
· Read the item descriptions carefully. Items request very specific information. Be sure you understand what is asked (Good practice for your IRB application!).
· Use primary sources to the .
Why You Should Replace Windows 11 with Nitrux Linux 3.5.0 for enhanced perfor...SOFTTECHHUB
The choice of an operating system plays a pivotal role in shaping our computing experience. For decades, Microsoft's Windows has dominated the market, offering a familiar and widely adopted platform for personal and professional use. However, as technological advancements continue to push the boundaries of innovation, alternative operating systems have emerged, challenging the status quo and offering users a fresh perspective on computing.
One such alternative that has garnered significant attention and acclaim is Nitrux Linux 3.5.0, a sleek, powerful, and user-friendly Linux distribution that promises to redefine the way we interact with our devices. With its focus on performance, security, and customization, Nitrux Linux presents a compelling case for those seeking to break free from the constraints of proprietary software and embrace the freedom and flexibility of open-source computing.
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 5DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 5. In this session, we will cover CI/CD with devops.
Topics covered:
CI/CD with in UiPath
End-to-end overview of CI/CD pipeline with Azure devops
Speaker:
Lyndsey Byblow, Test Suite Sales Engineer @ UiPath, Inc.
zkStudyClub - Reef: Fast Succinct Non-Interactive Zero-Knowledge Regex ProofsAlex Pruden
This paper presents Reef, a system for generating publicly verifiable succinct non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs that a committed document matches or does not match a regular expression. We describe applications such as proving the strength of passwords, the provenance of email despite redactions, the validity of oblivious DNS queries, and the existence of mutations in DNA. Reef supports the Perl Compatible Regular Expression syntax, including wildcards, alternation, ranges, capture groups, Kleene star, negations, and lookarounds. Reef introduces a new type of automata, Skipping Alternating Finite Automata (SAFA), that skips irrelevant parts of a document when producing proofs without undermining soundness, and instantiates SAFA with a lookup argument. Our experimental evaluation confirms that Reef can generate proofs for documents with 32M characters; the proofs are small and cheap to verify (under a second).
Paper: https://eprint.iacr.org/2023/1886
Observability Concepts EVERY Developer Should Know -- DeveloperWeek Europe.pdfPaige Cruz
Monitoring and observability aren’t traditionally found in software curriculums and many of us cobble this knowledge together from whatever vendor or ecosystem we were first introduced to and whatever is a part of your current company’s observability stack.
While the dev and ops silo continues to crumble….many organizations still relegate monitoring & observability as the purview of ops, infra and SRE teams. This is a mistake - achieving a highly observable system requires collaboration up and down the stack.
I, a former op, would like to extend an invitation to all application developers to join the observability party will share these foundational concepts to build on:
Enchancing adoption of Open Source Libraries. A case study on Albumentations.AIVladimir Iglovikov, Ph.D.
Presented by Vladimir Iglovikov:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/iglovikov/
- https://x.com/viglovikov
- https://www.instagram.com/ternaus/
This presentation delves into the journey of Albumentations.ai, a highly successful open-source library for data augmentation.
Created out of a necessity for superior performance in Kaggle competitions, Albumentations has grown to become a widely used tool among data scientists and machine learning practitioners.
This case study covers various aspects, including:
People: The contributors and community that have supported Albumentations.
Metrics: The success indicators such as downloads, daily active users, GitHub stars, and financial contributions.
Challenges: The hurdles in monetizing open-source projects and measuring user engagement.
Development Practices: Best practices for creating, maintaining, and scaling open-source libraries, including code hygiene, CI/CD, and fast iteration.
Community Building: Strategies for making adoption easy, iterating quickly, and fostering a vibrant, engaged community.
Marketing: Both online and offline marketing tactics, focusing on real, impactful interactions and collaborations.
Mental Health: Maintaining balance and not feeling pressured by user demands.
Key insights include the importance of automation, making the adoption process seamless, and leveraging offline interactions for marketing. The presentation also emphasizes the need for continuous small improvements and building a friendly, inclusive community that contributes to the project's growth.
Vladimir Iglovikov brings his extensive experience as a Kaggle Grandmaster, ex-Staff ML Engineer at Lyft, sharing valuable lessons and practical advice for anyone looking to enhance the adoption of their open-source projects.
Explore more about Albumentations and join the community at:
GitHub: https://github.com/albumentations-team/albumentations
Website: https://albumentations.ai/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/100504475
Twitter: https://x.com/albumentations
Goodbye Windows 11: Make Way for Nitrux Linux 3.5.0!SOFTTECHHUB
As the digital landscape continually evolves, operating systems play a critical role in shaping user experiences and productivity. The launch of Nitrux Linux 3.5.0 marks a significant milestone, offering a robust alternative to traditional systems such as Windows 11. This article delves into the essence of Nitrux Linux 3.5.0, exploring its unique features, advantages, and how it stands as a compelling choice for both casual users and tech enthusiasts.
Pushing the limits of ePRTC: 100ns holdover for 100 daysAdtran
At WSTS 2024, Alon Stern explored the topic of parametric holdover and explained how recent research findings can be implemented in real-world PNT networks to achieve 100 nanoseconds of accuracy for up to 100 days.
In his public lecture, Christian Timmerer provides insights into the fascinating history of video streaming, starting from its humble beginnings before YouTube to the groundbreaking technologies that now dominate platforms like Netflix and ORF ON. Timmerer also presents provocative contributions of his own that have significantly influenced the industry. He concludes by looking at future challenges and invites the audience to join in a discussion.
Alt. GDG Cloud Southlake #33: Boule & Rebala: Effective AppSec in SDLC using ...James Anderson
Effective Application Security in Software Delivery lifecycle using Deployment Firewall and DBOM
The modern software delivery process (or the CI/CD process) includes many tools, distributed teams, open-source code, and cloud platforms. Constant focus on speed to release software to market, along with the traditional slow and manual security checks has caused gaps in continuous security as an important piece in the software supply chain. Today organizations feel more susceptible to external and internal cyber threats due to the vast attack surface in their applications supply chain and the lack of end-to-end governance and risk management.
The software team must secure its software delivery process to avoid vulnerability and security breaches. This needs to be achieved with existing tool chains and without extensive rework of the delivery processes. This talk will present strategies and techniques for providing visibility into the true risk of the existing vulnerabilities, preventing the introduction of security issues in the software, resolving vulnerabilities in production environments quickly, and capturing the deployment bill of materials (DBOM).
Speakers:
Bob Boule
Robert Boule is a technology enthusiast with PASSION for technology and making things work along with a knack for helping others understand how things work. He comes with around 20 years of solution engineering experience in application security, software continuous delivery, and SaaS platforms. He is known for his dynamic presentations in CI/CD and application security integrated in software delivery lifecycle.
Gopinath Rebala
Gopinath Rebala is the CTO of OpsMx, where he has overall responsibility for the machine learning and data processing architectures for Secure Software Delivery. Gopi also has a strong connection with our customers, leading design and architecture for strategic implementations. Gopi is a frequent speaker and well-known leader in continuous delivery and integrating security into software delivery.
Maruthi Prithivirajan, Head of ASEAN & IN Solution Architecture, Neo4j
Get an inside look at the latest Neo4j innovations that enable relationship-driven intelligence at scale. Learn more about the newest cloud integrations and product enhancements that make Neo4j an essential choice for developers building apps with interconnected data and generative AI.
Threats to mobile devices are more prevalent and increasing in scope and complexity. Users of mobile devices desire to take full advantage of the features
available on those devices, but many of the features provide convenience and capability but sacrifice security. This best practices guide outlines steps the users can take to better protect personal devices and information.
Climate Impact of Software Testing at Nordic Testing DaysKari Kakkonen
My slides at Nordic Testing Days 6.6.2024
Climate impact / sustainability of software testing discussed on the talk. ICT and testing must carry their part of global responsibility to help with the climat warming. We can minimize the carbon footprint but we can also have a carbon handprint, a positive impact on the climate. Quality characteristics can be added with sustainability, and then measured continuously. Test environments can be used less, and in smaller scale and on demand. Test techniques can be used in optimizing or minimizing number of tests. Test automation can be used to speed up testing.
Unlock the Future of Search with MongoDB Atlas_ Vector Search Unleashed.pdfMalak Abu Hammad
Discover how MongoDB Atlas and vector search technology can revolutionize your application's search capabilities. This comprehensive presentation covers:
* What is Vector Search?
* Importance and benefits of vector search
* Practical use cases across various industries
* Step-by-step implementation guide
* Live demos with code snippets
* Enhancing LLM capabilities with vector search
* Best practices and optimization strategies
Perfect for developers, AI enthusiasts, and tech leaders. Learn how to leverage MongoDB Atlas to deliver highly relevant, context-aware search results, transforming your data retrieval process. Stay ahead in tech innovation and maximize the potential of your applications.
#MongoDB #VectorSearch #AI #SemanticSearch #TechInnovation #DataScience #LLM #MachineLearning #SearchTechnology
LF Energy Webinar: Electrical Grid Modelling and Simulation Through PowSyBl -...DanBrown980551
Do you want to learn how to model and simulate an electrical network from scratch in under an hour?
Then welcome to this PowSyBl workshop, hosted by Rte, the French Transmission System Operator (TSO)!
During the webinar, you will discover the PowSyBl ecosystem as well as handle and study an electrical network through an interactive Python notebook.
PowSyBl is an open source project hosted by LF Energy, which offers a comprehensive set of features for electrical grid modelling and simulation. Among other advanced features, PowSyBl provides:
- A fully editable and extendable library for grid component modelling;
- Visualization tools to display your network;
- Grid simulation tools, such as power flows, security analyses (with or without remedial actions) and sensitivity analyses;
The framework is mostly written in Java, with a Python binding so that Python developers can access PowSyBl functionalities as well.
What you will learn during the webinar:
- For beginners: discover PowSyBl's functionalities through a quick general presentation and the notebook, without needing any expert coding skills;
- For advanced developers: master the skills to efficiently apply PowSyBl functionalities to your real-world scenarios.
19. Cause Analysis Worksheet Adaptation for Project BEM Factor BEM Sub Factors FACTORS DRIVING FORCES RESTRAINING FORCES INFORMATION Clear Expectations 1a. Expectations for the project status reporting process are clear. Relevant Feedback 1b. Feedback given to me on my project status reports is timely. 1c. I receive feedback on my project status reports for good performance. 1d. I receive feedback on my project status reports for not so good performance. 1e. Feedback I have received on my performance on my project status reports is relevant. Relevant guides/job aids 1f. The handout (containing job aids, templates, and examples) for project status reporting is useful. Performance coaching 1g. I receive coaching regarding the quality of my performance on project status reports. Purpose/use of the reports 1h. I understand how my project status reports will be used by others.
On 11 September 2008 a new Project Management Process was implemented within the client organization following a one day training event. The Project Officers were advised that each project assigned to them would consist of a project charter, a project plan, bi-weekly status reports, and a final project report. From September 2008 to January 2009, only two of the seven Project Officers completed all the status reports as required. In October the Project Officers requested that the bi-weekly reporting requirement be dropped to monthly. It was, however, reporting continued to drop off. In January 2009, the project status reporting requirement was put on hold pending the outcome of this needs assessment.
DO POLL HERE When you conduct a needs assessment do you include data gathering?
There are all kinds of ways to collect DATA What is DATA? DATA is Wikipedia: Data are often viewed as a lowest level of abstraction from which information and knowledge are derived. Dictionary.com: The plural of datum. Individual facts, statistics, or items of information: Merriam-Webster: factual information (as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation Seems everyone agrees that data is a snippet that we can look at with other snippets and turn it into information based on how we – the analysts – perceive it! Knowing what data is, is fine… now we need to know how to get it!
Definition “ Qualitative or quantitative data collected for governmental, research, education, or service purposes and available to researchers in usable raw data forms and formats” (Schensul, Schensul, and LeCompte, 1999, p. 201). Purpose: Archival Data is information that may or may not relate to the need being assessed. For example, data may pertain to a different organization, a time period, or else it may have been collected by people other than the practitioner who will use it. Archival Data is different from other data sources such as interviews, focus groups, surveys, and observations. While these sources can be influenced by the HPT practitioner, archival data cannot. In other words, the practitioner can only work with the archival data already available.
Ways You Can Use Archival Data As a general rule, first-hand data is preferable to archival data. However, there are several situations in which the use of archival data can be beneficial to a Needs Assessment. Should Use Archival Data If: data exists that is relevant to the group being assessed primary data is not available obtaining primary data would be overly costly or time-consuming the practitioner conducting the needs assessment has insufficient resources to obtain accurate primary data the practitioner seeks to compare an existing situation to those outside of the organization the practitioner seeks to identify trends among other groups (Explain this point – trend across several groups taking the same course for example) Should Not Use Archival Data If: available archival data requires significant manipulation to be relevant to the needs assessment being conducted the practitioner is not capable of analyzing the data properly (e.g., lacks knowledge in statistical analysis) public data is not readily available obtaining Archival Data is cost-prohibitive the methodology to obtain the Archival Data is flawed the accuracy of the Archival Data cannot be verified How We Used Archival Data: To determine actual reporting frequency by project officer and by project To determine exemplar vs average vs poor performers To assist in creation of BOTG
Pros Cost effective Limited time commitment Can help validate observations or other findings (UNICEF, 2005) Can help to identify data trends May provide a larger context for the data (UNICEF, 2005) Society-wide, larger amounts of information are being stored electronically (IBM, 2007), increasing the quantity of archival data available Cons Data is often not a direct match to current situation Data may require difficult manipulation to make it relevant Some secondary data may only be available at a cost (Schensul, Schensul, and LeCompte, 1999) Data may not be current
DO Poll here I would use archival data to... Correct answer is Find trends among other groups (Y)
DEFINITION: “A data-collection method used with individuals that can be conducted in person, by phone, or by computer technology (such as online cameras, or videoconferencing).” Gupta et al. (2007) p.309 Individuals rather than groups, as more than 1 person may be considered a “focus group” we all know group dynamics can come into play with focus groups may shut down some interviewees, arguments, and the “Boss is in the room” our means of interviewing via technology are increasing all the time PURPOSE: (your general purpose might be…)
WAYS TO USE/APPROACH interviews: (you might use them to…) use to get by-in: if done on client, mgrs., employees > (helps with ownership of findings and willingness to support change effort) use to help gage change mgt. progress and acceptance use as a tool in evaluation of the initiative’s results as part of a Performance Analysis (especially is doing one apart from the NA as part of your Cause Analysis as part of your Change Mgt. process to see how the initiative is being received as part of your Evaluation to deepen or expand your knowledge in a certain area or field POLLING QUESTION : OVERALL FORMAT/ QUESTION FORMS : Structured (questions laid out, limit possible answers, very focused) Semi-structured (some questions laid out, maybe probes written down to remind interviewee to expand on their answers, open to giving interviewee some latitude in their responses while still keeping the interview focused) Unstructured (much more of a relaxed approach, may still have a general focus, but very open to where the interviewee takes you) QUESTION FORMS: Open ended (gives the person lots of room to respond as they see fit, may give you things you would not have thought of) Closed ended (somehow limits the person’s response, maybe used especially when you are trying to make sure the data will be easily quantifiable) Probing (maybe written down under your main open ended q’s to remind you to make sure to get more detailed information on something incase the interviewee does not hit on it during his open response) HOW WE USED THE INTERVIEWS : some questions based on BEM factors as a means to juxtapose supervisor perception with employee perception to add qualitative data in addition to our qualitative data
PROS: (electronic) gives reach to hard-to-get-at people (outpost in Alaska) (electronic) convenience for interviewee, maybe interviewer also (electronic) give control / flexibility to interviewee cut / past features (electronic) good for limited budget programs (travel, time…) (electronic) may be set up for anonymity / confidentiality (in-person) good interviewer can build trust and rapport CONS: (in-person) no chance for anonymity, person may be afraid to tell it as it is (in-person) nervousness on part of interviewee, may change answers due to same
DO POLL HERE The most common method of collecting data is... Correct answer is INTERVIEWS
Take a side step here to talk about the tool that was important for data gathering and led to smooth analysis, which is the cause analysis worksheet. This tool, which was developed by Roger Chevalier, has it’s origins in Gilbert’s Behavior Engineering Model and Kurt Lewin’s force field analysis tools. If you’re not familiar with the Force Field Analysis, it is a method for listing, discussing, and evaluating the various forces for and against a proposed change – which in this case would be a gap. The cause analysis worksheet overlays these two models, which we’ll see in a minute. There is quite a bit of background information on this model, and we would encourage you to read the reference noted in the job aid, which is titled “the evolution of a performance analysis job aid” – because it has evolved quite interestingly over the past few years.
DEFINITION “ A data-collection method typically used to gather data from many people at one time; can be mailed, e-mailed, or offered online” (Gupta, 2007, p. 313). PURPOSE To collect qualitative and quantitative data of things that cannot be observed, such as opinions, knowledge, and feelings. WAYS YOU CAN USE IT
In our Needs Assessment, we used surveys to gather data regarding expectations, feedback, knowledge and skill levels, consequences, incentives, motives – all of which fall into the Six Factors of Gilbert’s BEM, which is what we used to develop and structure our questions (Information, Resources, Incentives, Knowledge, Capacity, and Motives). We revised and refined our questions several times and decided to conduct a pilot survey. After the pilot survey we again revised our questions and then sent out the final survey. We used 4 point Likert-scale matrix questions, grouped together in sets, with each set followed by an open-ended question. We chose to conduct the survey electronically, via Opinio web-based software. We had an 86% participant rate, which we fill gave us sufficient data. PILOT Six sets of matrix questions, 27 total Four-point Likert scale (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree) Open-ended textbox after each set Five questions regarding survey construction Time requirement, unclear questions, terminology, etc. Two participants FINAL Questions revised based on Pilot survey Six sets of matrix questions, 29 total Four-point Likert scale (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree) Open-ended textbox after each set 86% completion rate
There are several pros & cons outlined in the job aid we’ve provided, and here are the ones we found most relevant to our needs assessment project. PROS Electronic surveys don’t cost anything to send out unless you have to pay for the survey tool. But there are some tools out there, like survey monkey, which are free. Questions are the same for everyone so there’s no variability between surveys like with interviews. Whenever possible, it’s good to send surveys to a larger group than you actually need to ensure you get sufficient data. (e.g., if you want 50 participants, maybe send it to 100 people) CONS It’s easy to ignore or forget about a survey, so reminder notes are a good idea. Participants may misread or misinterpret questions, which is another reason pilot surveys are beneficial. PROS Quantitative data that is gathered is easy to compile and analyze; Time Commitment – much quicker to take a 5-10 minute survey than 30-60 minute interview Participant size – In turn, you can have a larger participant size because data is more manageable Question preparation – no variability between participants No time constraints – they don’t have to be completed within 10 minutes CONS Paper surveys can be expensive (paper, ink, postage, etc.) Electronic surveys – require computer, internet Additional Info – limited to the questions in the survey
DO POLL Fill in the blank: I_____complete surveys I receive at work