aes19 International Evaluation Conference

Samantha Abbato  (Visual Insights People), Margi MacGregor (CatholicCare NT),  Jayne LLoyd (CatholicCare NT)

Effective communication channels are an essential part of successful ECB. Written materials about evaluation processes, and learning are components of Preskill and Boyles multidisciplinary model of ECB (2008). But ten years on from the publication of this model, mainstream communication methods have changed rapidly with an increasing dominance of digital images and videos. For example, regularly most of us now use images with short captions to share information and experiences and watch online videos for learning how to do something from making a meal to fixing a broken appliance. Furthermore, recent reports by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that 43 percent of Australians have low levels of literacy and an increasing diversity of languages other than English. So it's high time we swapped some of our written words for out of the box strategies if we are to be serious about building ECB in organisations.

Borrowing multidisciplinary tools from graphic communication, videography and systems thinking we present the development pictorial toolkit for ECB of a large state-wide community organisation. The organisation comprises one-third staff from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and a number from CALD backgrounds. The co-designed toolkit is the major communication tool for learning and "doing" the evaluation for all staff of the organisation.

The central component of this toolkit is a color A3 poster explaining the entire organisational monitoring, evaluation and learning process with pictures and symbols. Evaluation of the poster shows that staff across the organisation:

• Engage with organisational colors, images of their locations of work and activities;
• Understand the evaluation process and method and how these link to their work practice through simple symbols and icons;
• Can explain the evaluation process and method to each other using the poster;
• Staff ownership of images is more important than perfect pictures.

Key steps for increasing ECB success through pictorial communication are discussed.