Evaluation for Transformational Change: Learning from Practice

The COVID-19 crisis has challenged the evaluation profession by altering the framework within which it operates. Evaluators must embrace new realities and respond to changes while not altering their principles, norms, and standards.A review of how evaluation networks and offices have responded to changing demands showed lack of recognition for the long-term implications to the profession. Commissioners and users of evaluation now have new priorities, and nontraditional actors have entered the traditional evaluation space, offering similar expertise and meeting the demands of evaluation commissioners and users. The extensive development challenges posed by COVID-19 require a comprehensive response capacity from evaluation if it is to be transformative as a profession.This chapter draws on national and international case studies, examining the concept of transformation from a contextual perspective and noting the relativism in the concept. It draws links between aspects, suggesting that this period is an opportunity for evaluators to learn from practice around transformation, and suggests that flexibility provides an opportunity to remain relevant and advance transformational goals.

Prediction of Lung Cancer using Ensemble Classifiers

Carcinoma detection from CT scan images is extremely necessary for numerous diagnostic and healing applications. Because of the excessive amount of information in CT scan images and blurred boundaries, tumor segmentation and class are extremely laborious. The intention is to categorize carcinoma into benign and malignant categories. In MR pictures, the number of facts is a lot for interpreting and evaluating manually. Over the previous few years, carcinoma detection in CT has grown to be a rising evaluation space in the area of the scientific imaging system. Correct detection of length and site of lung cancer performs a vital position in the designation of carcinoma. In this paper, we introduce a novel carcinoma detection methodology that helps in predicting the carcinoma from the CT scanned images. The methodology has 4 different stages, pre-processing the image data, segmentation, extracting features, and classification stage to categorize the benign and malignant. This work makes use of extraordinary models for detecting carcinoma in a CT test via way of means of constructing an ensemble classifier. Techniques proposed in the paper helped us achieve an accuracy of 85% using Ensemble-Classifier which showcases that model has the capability of predicting the malignant cases correctly. The ensemble classifier consists of 5 machine learning models like SVM, LR, MLP, decision tree, and KNN. The inevitable parameters like accuracy, recall, and precision is calculated to determine the accurate results of the classifier.

Conversations that Count: Lessons From Evaluating a Men’s Digital Mental Health Response During COVID-19

This paper details disruption and innovation in digital evaluation practice at Movember, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper examines a men’s digital health intervention (DHI) – Movember Conversations – and the product pivot that was necessary to ensure it could respond to the pandemic. The paper focuses on the implications of the pivot for the evaluation and how the evaluation was adapted to the COVID-19 exigencies. It details the redesign of the evaluation to ensure methods wrapped around the modified product and could deliver real-time, practical insights. The paper seeks to fill knowledge gaps in the DHI evaluation space and outlines four key principles that support evaluation re-design in an agile setting. These include a user-centred approach to evaluation design, proportionate data collection, mixed (and flexible) methodologies, and agile evaluation reporting. The paper concludes with key lessons and reflections from the evaluators about what worked at Movember, to support other evaluators planning digital evaluations.

Comparing Sources of Disruptions to Telemedicine-Enabled Stroke Care in an Ambulance

Objective: The purpose of this study is to understand the nature and source of disruptions in an ambulance during the telemedicine-based caregiving process for stroke patients to enhance the ambulance design for supporting telemedicine-based care. Background: Telemedicine is emerging as an efficient approach to provide timely remote assessment of patients experiencing acute stroke in an ambulance. These consults are facilitated by connecting the patient and paramedic with a remotely located neurologist and nurse using cameras, audio systems, and computers. However, ambulances are typically retrofitted to support telemedicine-enabled care, and the placement of these systems inside the ambulance might lead to spatial challenges and disruptions during patient evaluation. Method: Video recordings of 13 simulated telemedicine-based stroke consults were coded and analyzed using an existing systems-based flow disruption (FD) taxonomy. For each observed disruption—the type, severity or impact, location in the ambulance, and equipment involved in the disruption were recorded. Results: Seat size, arrangement of assessment equipment, location of telemedicine equipment (computer workstation), and design of telemedicine camera were among the factors that impacted telemedicine-related disruptions. The left ambulance seat zone and head of the patient bed were more involved in environmental hazard–related disruptions, while the right zone of the ambulance was more prone to interruptions and communication-related disruptions. Conclusion: Adequate evaluation space for the paramedic, proper placement of evaluation equipment, and telemedicine computer location could facilitate the stroke care evaluation process and reduce FDs in the ambulance.

Influence of Zakat on Sejahtera Strategic Position and Action

Zakat is religious duty for Muslims. Muslim-owned companies also paid zakat. With religious duty in mind, there is no expectation of worldly rewards. When companies are constantly paid zakat, there is good effect to the companies’ performance and competitive advantages. This study postulated that zakat enables companies to gain sejahtera strategic position and action for sustainable performance. The case study on three different companies that paid zakat showed sejahtera position and action. The study uses strategic position and action evaluation (SPACE) Matrix to investigate the influence of zakat on sejahtera strategic position and action. The results of the study showed that zakat has worldly effect.

Modelling and Designing the IMS-LD Models for Evaluation Space of a New Learning Management System

The context of this work is that of designing an IMS-LD model for collaboration space of a learning management system (LMS). The work is specifically in the field or seeking to promote by means of information technology from a distance. The approach is to first think about the conditions for creating a real LMS between learners and designing the IT environment that supports this LMS. In this chapter, the authors try to adapt the IMS-LD model with a collaboration model for learning management system based on the social constructivism.

Perencanaan Strategi Pemasaran Usaha Mikro Kecil dan Menengah Manis Bakery

Marketing is an essential aspect of the strategy of increasing product sales. Manis Bakery UMKM itself does not have a specific plan for promoting mani bread. This study aims to design the marketing strategy of UMKM Manis Bakery based on the concept of Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM), Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM), and Strategic Position and Action Evaluation (SPACE). This research conducted at Manis Bakery UMKM with respondents chosen were business owners and respondents who bought bread at least once a week or more. Based on the results of the analysis that has done, the results obtained that the strength possessed by the Sweet Bakery UMKM are products without preservatives, bread has a soft texture, food that is not easy to expire, strategic company location and affordable prices. The strategy is a priority based on six alternative strategies, namely creating sweet bread with flavors or innovations and making unique and attractive packaging that will do when having additional business capital.

Methodology for Strategic Posture Determination of SMEs

This paper presents the methodology for strategic posture determination of SMEs. The methodology itself that is explained in detail is based on the original work of A. Rowe and the research has been conducted on the sample of 179 companies from an emerging market of various sizes, ownership structures and industry sectors. A modified strategic analysis tool for defining company’s strategic posture (modified Strategic Position & Action Evaluation - SPACE analysis) presented in this paper investigates the basic dimensions of external environment and enterprise itself: environment stability (ES) and industry strength (IS), as well as competitive strength (CS) and financial strength (FS). Along with the presented mathematical modelling that determines resultant vector describing the strategic posture, the paper presents the mean scores of each variable from the questionnaire results that are calculated for every strategic posture. The results obtained contribute to the precise definition of the strategic position of companies and are useful for future works related to small and medium-sized firms' strategic posture evaluation.