How do you measure the impact of your educational consulting services?

A simple example to show what sort of metric could be used is a project on improving a school's enrichment system - clubs, extracurricular activities, student-led societies, etc. To see if your consulting intervention made a difference, you can simply compare the number of active clubs in the school before and after your engagement. Not only can you see if the number has risen, you can actually measure by how much - is it an increase of 50% or 500%? The latter was the actual result in one of my cases, a small secondary school with 250 students.

Ensuring my services create positive change is paramount. Measuring impact isn't about ticking boxes; it's about crafting a meaningful blueprint for success. This starts with setting clear, specific goals that align with both my expertise and my client's aspirations. Tailoring Goals and Indicators: One size doesn't fit all. A struggling high school student may prioritize exam scores, while a college hopeful might focus on application strength. I create measurable indicators specific to each goal. For exam improvement, it could be consistent score increases on practice tests, while application prowess might be gauged by the quality of essays and interview skills.

Gather feedback from clients through surveys to assess their satisfaction with the consulting services provided. Ask about the perceived value of the services, areas of strength, and areas for improvement. Collect testimonials and success stories from clients who have benefited from the consulting services. Use these testimonials to showcase the impact of the services and provide concrete examples of success. Gather feedback from various stakeholders, including school administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community members. Assess their perceptions of the impact of the consulting services on teaching and learning outcomes.

In my experience with adult education, the best quantitative data you can gather is content relevancy. I rewrote a leadership course using the Understanding by Design process which included authentic assessments. The behaviors they learned and tools they completed could put into action right away. It consistently held a 95% or above relevancy rating, and the qualitative data gave greater insight to why it was working. Adults need to apply the theories they learn. Application in an educational environment gives them a safe space to try and fail too. Relevant educational experiences can make adults rethink their ingrained beliefs, while making them a better version of themselves for our society.

If you're working with schools, surveys are among the most reliable data sources. You can run surveys to collect students', staff or even parents' views and opinions on how well the school is doing. The significant bit here, though, is to administer the surveys externally - on the one hand, it gives you more reliable data (without the bias of the school management), and on the other hand, you relieve them of the gruesome work of piloting, designing, and analysing the data. Not to mention that having raw data to hand would allow you to make some quite insightful conclusions and valuable recommendations.

If we use the criteria for results: - Use clear and concise language - Highlight key findings and recommendations - Support claims with evidence and examples - Communicate results through reports, presentations, testimonials, or case studies Presenting impact evaluations, I highlight key findings, backed by evidence. Through reports and testimonials, clients see tangible results, fostering trust and satisfaction. Together, we shape educational journeys grounded in transparency and success.

This is really important step that is often underestimated - not enough time or budget is planned for it. Regardless of how amazing your analysis or how fantastic your creative process was, it will mean little if you are not able to present project results in an efficient, concise and impactful way. Two main methods of delivering your results are usually presentations and reports. Presentations are easier to prepare - you have a benefit of relaying your information verbally in addition to your on-screen slides, and the client is able to ask you follow-up questions, which allows them to clarify things they had trouble understanding. A report does not have that luxury: whatever needs to be said should be in writing, so it's more challenging.

And never forget to collect informal feedback in strategic ways and regularly from your stakeholders. People are most comfortable when approached informally about their take on any given project or initiative. Spend valuable time with stakeholders in their spaces of work or a place they select to talk to you, a place where they are in control of the setting and environment. Immerse in their world and ask questions that will elicit information you need but that can also help them reflect or advance their own ideas or current work! Thank them for their time and never leave that meeting without genuinely letting them know of at least one way their contributions will help you or the organization!

Evaluating impact, I try to identify strengths and then plan improvements. Client feedback fuels growth and its critical for any true improvement; successes should always be celebrated, and challenges become lessons. Constantly trying to evolve landscapes where every voice thrives.

Consider the glow of understanding on students' faces, the excitement in educators as they embrace new methods, and the overall satisfaction of clients. Look beyond numbers; gauge success through the positive changes happening in the daily experiences of those involved in education. The true measure lies in the tangible difference felt by individuals within the educational community.

Analyze quantitative data related to key performance indicators (KPIs) or metrics that are relevant to the goals of the consulting services. This may include data on student achievement, graduation rates, teacher effectiveness, or organizational efficiency. Conduct qualitative analysis through interviews, focus groups, or observations to gather insights into the perceived impact of the consulting services. Capture anecdotes, stories, and experiences that illustrate the value of the services. Compare post-consulting data with baseline data collected before the consulting services were implemented. This allows for the measurement of changes or improvements over time.