Making Data Dance

Participatory Data Gathering and Analysis

  • Ever been bored to death by the tedious review of data?
  • Ever been awash in data and yet have no useful information on which to make decisions or act?

making data danceThe dictionary definition of  data is — “data – facts, figures, etc., known or available; information”. Information could be a budget, an annual report, a customer satisfaction survey, student performance data, a 1/2 sheet on a sticky wall. The question is how do we make this data dance, become real and meaningful to the people who need to use it for decision making.

Learn how to design lively and useful data review sessions with full participant engagement in this one day session.

Unlike “experts” collecting and analyzing data and then feeding it to participants, this course looks at participatory processes for data gathering and analysis. This course explores three real case studies of participatory data review that use 2 of the 3 ToP methods taught in the ToP Facilitation Methods course.

  • A data plunge day where multiple sets of evaluation data were reviewed, analyzed and used as a basis for the next year program planning
  • Customer satisfaction data collection
  • Multi-organizational reports at an annual planning meeting

Like other ICA  courses, you’ll actively participate and get a “hands-on” experience of the methods illustrated in the case studies.We’ll also look at how to collect information/data so that it is easier to review it in a group setting; how to design review processes so that all members of the group can participate and are interested; and how to use the review and analysis process as the first step to taking action.For those of you who are involved in getting stakeholder input on your work, you’ll  learn how to create a customer requirements matrix that gives you a quick and easy way to see how well customers perceive your products and/or services.And, as time permits we’ll look at situations which you bring to the course and explore how  to design a participatory process to improve your data review and analysis session.

Course Length:  1-Day

Pre-requisite ToP Facilitation Methods    either two or three-day version

Organization Type

Course Fee

Corporate & Large Non-Profit Organizations  $800
State & Local Government Agencies, Independent Professionals  $700