Monitoring & Evaluation Working Group
Improving the Practice of Monitoring and Evaluation
Leads
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In Brief
Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is necessary both for the development and advancement of the field of HIA, but in practice, most HIAs do not include process, impact, or outcome evaluation. This working group is focused on identifying and developing strategies to improve the practice of monitoring and evaluation in the field. It is through monitoring and evaluating the impact of HIA on a decision, decision-making process, or decision-making climate and subsequently, the impact of that decision on health that we will be able to gain a better understanding of the value of HIA (i.e., to inform decision-making and protect and promote health), provide justification for its practice and Health in All Policies approaches, and strengthen the HIA profile in public health and other fields.
Objectives
The objective of this working group is to understand the factors contributing to the current state of monitoring and evaluation in HIA and provide a framework for advancing monitoring and evaluation in the field of practice.
History
This working group was first convened at the 2014 HIA of the Americas Workshop, and since that time has synthesized information on the state of monitoring and evaluation in the field of practice and drafted a framework document that includes best practices and essential elements for monitoring and evaluation.
2016 Working Group Meeting Highlights
Five (5) of the approximately 20 current working group members and six (6) additional individuals participated in the working group meeting at the 2016 HIA Practitioner Workshop. These individuals, from universities, non-profits, federal agencies, and state and county health departments/organizations, came together to improve the practice of monitoring and evaluation in HIA by moving forward the monitoring and evaluation framework currently under development by the working group and messaging to promote monitoring and evaluation in HIA, and identifying what makes a good indicator for use in process, impact, and outcome evaluation.
The working group:
- Discussed the purpose of the working group and how it can move the field of HIA forward
- Provided an overview of the working group’s activities to date and the products expected from the working group’s effort
- Solicited input on the general content and utility of the Draft Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (a working group product that defines monitoring and evaluation, describes the current state of M&E in HIA, discusses M&E efforts in programs outside HIA, and identifies best practices and essential elements for advancing M&E in HIA)
- Created a vision for the ideal state of monitoring and evaluation in HIA
- Identified what makes a good message, examining the 4Cs model – comprehension, connection, credibility, and contagiousness
- Identified potential audiences and critical components of messaging M&E in HIA
- Prioritized messaging efforts to promote M&E in HIA
- Identified essential characteristics of indicators for use in process, impact, and outcome evaluation
- Established next steps
Future
Work will continue on the initial products of this working group, which include a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and associated journal article; messaging to promote monitoring and evaluation in HIA; and some level of indicator compilation for use in process, impact, and outcome evaluation. The working group may also pursue additional activities to promote monitoring and evaluation in HIA. Working group participants will be engaged via regular conference calls and will have opportunities to contribute to working group products and inform the path forward of the working group. New members are welcome to join the working group and the effort to improve the practice of monitoring and evaluation!