maximizing resources in delivering technical assistance: lessons from two cities jake cowan research...
TRANSCRIPT
Maximizing Resources in Delivering Technical
Assistance:lessons from two cities
Jake CowanResearch Associate
Allison PlyerTechnical Assistance Manager
1. Identify your audience
•Access basic data
•Motivation
•Self-efficacy
•Access complex data
•Analysis
•Expertise
New Orleans TA requests per month
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
2002
2003
2004
D.C. TA Requests per Month
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Jan
Feb Mar Apr
May
June
July
AugSep
tOct Nov
Dec
2003
2004
TA requests per month
2. Determine your objectives
To teach requestors how to find the answer themselves, not give them the data
To provide access to otherwise difficult-to-retrieve data and expertise in data selection and analysis
3. Build trust
Before…
Before…
After…
People known in the community
4. Set expectations
…New Orleans area nonprofit organization…
Who’s eligible?
…New Orleans area nonprofit organization…
...one hour of free help…
Who’s eligible?
How much?
…New Orleans area nonprofit organization…
...one hour of free help…
Who’s eligible?
How much?
Timeframe?…contact you within one business day… process can take up to two weeks.
Cite or credit usGive us a copyComplete our evaluation
Conditions?
Conditions?
Cost?
Cite or credit usGive us a copyComplete our evaluation
One hour free. If longer, we’ll negotiate fees.
5. Streamline intake
6. Promote accountability
Full team sees requests
7. Establish and reinforce intake
protocols
I’m looking for data.
I need data!
I’m looking for data.
I need data!
I’m looking for data.
Thanks for meeting. Did you
bring data?
I need data!
I’m looking for data.
Would you have any data on you?
Thanks for meeting. Did you
bring data?
Got any data?
I need data!
I’m looking for data.
Would you have any data on you?
Thanks for meeting. Did you
bring data?
Protocol
• All data requests are to be entered into the “Ask Allison” intake form by the person who received the request.
Protocol
• All data requests are to be entered into the “Ask Allison” intake form by the person who received the request.
• If an email to [email protected] is a data request, then the emailer should be directed to make their entry into “Ask Allison.”
8. Make key resource decisions
Does working on a TA request add value to existing projects?
9. Apply meta-data
How Were Requests Received?
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%
2002
2003
Who requested?
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%
FY02-03
FY03-04
Mean Hours Worked
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
FY01-02 FY02-03 FY03-04
10. Make changes to website or acquire new
data
If you’re not sure which Neighborhood Cluster you’re in… look it up here:http://citizenatlas.dc.gov/atlasapps/reporthometab.aspx
11. Produce enduring teaching materials
12. Evaluation
Sample = 35 Responses = 13
85% satisfied with quality of information
77% satisfied with timeliness
Revise survey instrument for 2005
Outside evaluator – 10 brief case studies“She received a notification of when to expect a reply. Then she received the reply far in advance of the notice date. She was asking how to combine census variables, a complex task that she had not done before. Data Center staff were able to give her sound instructions that she could easily follow. Now she feels she could do it again herself if she had to.”
“While she was at first somewhat put off by the fact that the Data Center staff would not do the analysis for her, she felt strongly in the end that this was an important learning experience for her.”
