What is different about solution-focused evaluation? Summary of January meeting

[Ali Abington]

In the London SF Group's first meeting of 2012, Ali Abington facilitated an interactive discussion on the topic, “What is different about solution-focused evaluation?” The session included a two-part exercise in which Ali invited members to think back to an evaluation they had done in the past year and reflect on which aspects of their approach they found to have worked particularly well. She then asked them to consider what different or new elements they might introduce to a ‘best possible’ SF evaluation of a project or case they would deliver in 2012.

Unsurprisingly, this thought-provoking ‘What is different?’ question from Paul Z Jackson generated a wide-ranging list of best hopes for the session, together with rich discussion and resource suggestions. Among the wealth of ideas: using an SF approach to evaluate the Group itself; SF evaluation in a commercial context; SF elements to introduce into leadership forums; evaluation using Duncan and Millers’ ORS (Outcome Rating Scale) and SRS (Session Rating Scale) and using expectations as part of the evaluation process. Thanks to everyone who attended, not only for their valued input but also for their high levels of energy and enthusiasm on the second working day of 2012!