Trainers: Dominika Wojtowicz and Tomasz Kupiec
Level: Beginning/intermediate
Language: English
Workshop description:
The Knowledge Brokers workshop provides participants with skill on how to gain credible knowledge and effectively disseminate it among target audience –potential evaluation users. The workshop is based on a specially designed tabletop simulation game. During the workshop participants play the role of managers of evaluation units. Their mission is to help different decision makers in successful implementation of socio-economic projects. They do it by acquiring and then feeding evaluation findings to potential knowledge users.
Participants gain points for:
- selecting appropriate decision-maker from the perspective of stated problem, b) choosing research design, that provide credible and solid findings,
- and picking feeding methods suited for particular user (eg. politician, program manager, etc.).
All decisions are made under time and resource limitations pressure. The game is run in turns, which are followed by detailed feedback and debriefing sessions, all grounded in evaluation theory and latest empirical research on evidence used in decision-making.
The workshop provides participants with 6 key knowledge brokering skills:
- identifying knowledge needs of policy actors;
- acquiring credible studies;
- combining results into policy arguments;
- reaching users with appropriate dissemination strategies;
- delivering research results at the right moment of decision-making cycle;
- managing a unit and its network with limited resources.
The workshop has been designed for:
- employees of analytical and evaluation units;
- employees of units managing public interventions (formulating, implementing);
- senior civil servants supervising both mentioned types of units.
Learning outcomes:
For employees of analytical and evaluation units workshop:
- broadens their spectrum of research designs or introduce this perspective for those who so far use the less advanced category of research methods;
- teaches an integrated approach to applied research -from need assessment, through design of the study, to communication and dissemination of results;
- provides a holistic understanding of the place and role of expertise and analyses in the decision-making process;
- increases their understanding of colleagues from management units -their needs, the conditions in which they operate and the dynamic s of cooperation with them.
For employees of units managing public interventions (formulation implementation) and senior civil servants workshop:
- provides quick and effective learning relating to "the nuts and bolts" of applied research.
- raises their awareness of the importance of credible knowledge in the decision-making process,
- strengthens cooperation with colleagues from analytical and evaluation units by enhancing mutual understanding.