Extra: Lean data

Go further by collecting valuable data on the experience your users have using your social change service. How can you do this in less intrusive ways?

If you run a service and it already exists, consider finding ways to collect data in less invasive but actionable ways.

Participant feedback is often collected through forms during, or at the end, of a programme via an evaluation. This process is really valuable. It is also time-consuming and it doesn't always lead to actionable insight. The questions are often asked to fulfil a funder request and once this data is collated for the funder, it is sometimes not used to improve the service further, but rather, to prove that the programme is working and meeting its outcomes.

Consider collecting discrete data at other points during your service delivery by asking simple one-off questions and anonymising the answers.

For instance, in the case of a service centre a member of staff can ask, as people leave, if they acheived what they were trying to acheive. If not, ask what they were looking to do today. Note down the answers and use this for service improvement.

There are many ways you can look to improve your service and it starts by nurtuting an improvement mindset within your team.