Consulting efforts and their outcomes are seldom evaluated with evidence-based evaluation research models, designs, and processes. Instead, those engaged in consulting processes often subjectively assess outcomes without utilizing a systematic, measured model before, during, and after the consulting engagement. IETO Advisory offers an evidence-based evaluation model comprised of five elements and ideas to facilitate effective consulting evaluations. The five elements include the logic type or level of thinking used in an evaluation, a conceptual map, a logic model, the implementation of the logic model, and outcome and impact assessments. At IETO we use Evidence-based evaluation that provides a rigorous, valid, and reliable approach for assessing the effectiveness of a consulting engagement. We also provide opportunities to improve consulting and evaluation knowledge and practice, and an alternative to a process that is too often conducted as a casual assessment tainted with possible biases and aberrations.
In many cases, consulting efforts are led by IETO independent advisory consultants who sell or advocate their services and pre-packaged products using years of rich experience in their domain of success. Often, companies rely on remedies offered by consultants for quick results—without proper diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation. To improve consulting practices, the IETO consulting field would benefit from both evaluations and learning about the effectiveness of the services and outcomes of consulting efforts and their impacts. Managers would also benefit by learning the results of the efforts and resources of IETO expended on consulting to find better ways to logically plan and justify consulting efforts in their own organizations.
An evidence-based approach to evaluation offers valid and reliable information on the efficacy of consulting efforts and provides opportunities to generate knowledge, learning, improvements, and innovation. This methodology relies on a logical approach to consulting assessments, and includes planning, designing, implementing, and controlling: a disciplined approach to evaluation. Developing and adopting a logical approach that fits the specific drivers of change efforts tends to assure greater validity and reliability in evaluating the effectiveness of the consulting approach, processes, and results, versus using unchecked, idiosyncratic consultant- and client-dominated approaches.
Resource expenditures during delegation visits for consulting engagements are justified based on views, hopes, and aspirations that consultants can draw upon to help their clients deal with the realities of their situations—whether implicit or explicit. The evidence-based evaluation approach emphasizes a logical approach that underpins the evaluation of the consultation process from start to finish, or at any phase of the consulting activity. This approach can help reveal the level of thought, scope, and usefulness of the engagement and associated interventions. A logical approach can guide the design and selection of the appropriate type of thinking, concepts, methodologies, and processes to be used in evaluations. This approach can also provide key elements and play a critical role in facilitating a valid and reliable evaluation. Evidence-based evaluation can incorporate features and attributes that offer the best assessments of the unique situational conditions and driving forces of the consulting engagement.
An effective consulting evaluation requires adopting the appropriate type of thinking, concepts, data and country specific methodologies, design, and implementation. To ensure valid and reliable evidence-based evaluation outcomes, evaluation methodologies should reflect the rationale of the consulting engagement. When the purpose and drivers of the consulting engagement are not considered, the evaluation concepts, methodology, and subsequent results will most likely be confused and unreliable. It is important to configure the explicit and implicit unique, subtle, and special conditions of the consulting effort. An evidence-based evaluation approach guides the type and level of thinking, applicable concepts, process design, and implementation, and provides a framework for the valid and reliable evaluation of consulting engagements.
Ideally, evidence-based evaluation is incorporated into consulting engagements from beginning to end, with resources and support for the evaluation effort integrated into the consulting engagement. Furthermore, key stakeholders are identified and, if appropriate, included in the process of consulting evaluation planning and implementation.
Director of IETO in Thailand hosted the IETO delegation led by the President Dr. Asif Iqbal who was accompanied by his family.
