In September, we introduced two new major features to the Culture Counts Evaluation Platform – streamlining user workflow and enabling consistent measurement of dimensions across evaluations.
Our latest new features makes it easier to collect consistent data across multiple surveys and to effectively measure outcomes across your evaluations. We are excited to introduce:
- Evaluation and Survey Templates: These templates guide users in crafting effective evaluations. They are ready-made surveys with standard questions and metrics that align to our best-practise survey structure. Users can select from a list of activity types and then tailor the survey to their specific needs.
- Dimension Selector: This tool is essential for those who wish to align evaluations with their strategic objectives. Users can now explore dimensions in the platform and select the ones that are relevant to their programs and activities. Alongside this new feature, we have also updated our Outcomes Framework, which you can read about here.
Check out this blog to learn more about the importance of consistency in evaluation.
Evaluation and Survey Templates
Templates are available for both evaluations and surveys.
When creating a new evaluation, you can now build from a template that may contain a variety of survey types. Evaluation templates are also available for select cohorts (i.e., Arts Council England’s Impact and Insight Toolkit or the Public Libraries Evaluation Network). Any survey contained in an evaluation template is also available as a survey template, enabling users to easily create new surveys based on pre-existing ones.
We are also launching Event Templates for commonly evaluated activities:
- Performance: Evaluate audience outcomes for performances.
- Workshop & Programs: Collect feedback on learning and skill development programs.
- Community Facility: Ideal for capturing feedback about community spaces.
- Place Activation: Measure the success of site-specific activations and events.
- Family Event: Useful for family-oriented events and participant groups.
- Online/Digital Event: Geared towards capturing insights on virtual events and experiences.
- General Event: A versatile template suitable for any event evaluation.
These survey templates follow our recommended format for collecting feedback and structuring question order. Respondents are first asked about engagement methods, followed by prompted/unprompted questions to gain feedback about experiences and perspectives. Additional questions focusing on marketing and brand discovery follow, before concluding with a limited set of demographic questions.
Building a new survey from an existing template is a great way to the reduce time and effort required to undertake evaluation. Users can simply select ‘new evaluation’ or ‘new survey to get started!
Dimension Selector
Alongside templates, we are also introducing our Dimension Selector. This feature enables users to explore the full range of dimension statements available in the Culture Counts Evaluation Platform. Users can build a predefined list of dimensions that can be pre-filled into any new evaluation or survey.
Dimensions are grouped into their respective domain and outcomes category, with explanatory text describing what the broader outcome is trying to measure or achieve.
Building a Dimension List is a great way to articulate ambitions of a strategic plan or organisational goals (as described in our support documentation). For example, you could create a dimension list called ‘Strategy’, which would include 6 – 9 dimensions to be used across all evaluation activity for the year. For those who wish to measure a variety of different programs, multiple lists are also supported! Having multiple lists means you can include dimensions that crossover between multiple programs, but also are unique to that particular activity type. Examples of multiple dimension list within a single organisation could include ‘Mainstage Works’, ‘Community Performances’ or ‘Education and Access’.
The Dimension Selector is a great resource to enable users to explore the Culture Counts Outcomes Framework, select dimension that align with their outcomes and objectives, while providing the flexibility to adapt these lists to an evolving strategic plan.
These new features represent our next steps at evolving and growing our platform in line with the feedback and needs of users and the cultural sector. We are excited for you to dive in and explore! If you have any questions or feedback about the new features, please reach out to the Client Team or contact us here.
