DATA! When I hear the word data I cringe – well I should say I used to cringe.
But I have since come to realise that if done effectively and in a manner that appeals to a wide audience it becomes a powerful tool to enable goal setting and measure success and areas for improvement.
When we begin a new initiative, we are often so excited to get started and to see results, that we forget to take time to identify what is really going on. Collecting data gives us the opportunity to identify what is ‘actually happening’. We typically have a good sense of what this is, but effective data collection ensures that we understand the true needs of the community rather than our assumed ones. We can often use this data collection to identify target groups within our local area and to assist us in setting initial goals and targets.
Another important benefit of collecting data is that it is very powerful when sourcing essential funding and grants. It can help provide the backbone for our initiatives and can help provide evidence needed when requesting funding for new initiatives.
When collecting baseline data in preparation for action planning and goal setting I would recommend the following techniques:
In my next blog post I will share examples of each of the data collection strategies that I have mentioned above, and will explain how to utilise each.