Download the full Evaluation Guide as a pdf documentAnnex 2
Costs and benefits of public engagementSome of the costs of participation
| Costs | Possible indicators | How to get data | Important assumptions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-monetary costs: Time contributed by participants |
Days / hours spent in meetings, preparation, research, local consultations etc | Diaries kept by participants | The time given by participants is often under-valued, and planning often fails to take this contribution into account |
| Staff time (unpaid) | Unpaid overtime | Extended time sheets | |
| Skills needed for the new approach | Time taken to learn about participatory working, in addition to planning activities | Timesheets | It may be difficult to isolate time learning about participation from general ‘learning on the job’, but worth keeping in mind |
| Risks: Reputation |
Could participatory working damage a reputation for leadership? | Public opinion polls, feedback from participants, etc | All risks can be assessed in terms of likelihood (how likely they are to happen), and importance. |
| Could poor performance in participatory working affect other projects / programmes? | Public opinion polls, feedback from participants, etc | Both can be assessed in terms of high / medium / low risk. | |
| Could participatory working improve reputation for listening / responsiveness to local concerns? | CAs above | ||
| Uncertainty | What impacts could less management have on the quality of the project? | Feedback from staff | |
| Stress | Will participatory working increase / reduce stress? | Feedback from staff | |
| Conflict | Will participatory working increase / reduce conflict? | Review of impacts of participatory initiative; interviews etc. | |