2021
Chelsea Morrison, BA
Evaluation and Performance Analyst
My background …
I have an undergraduate degree in anthropology and will soon graduate with a Master of Arts degree. The anthropology courses that I completed in my undergraduate helped most to prepare me for an evaluation role. These courses provided me with skills and knowledge for interview methods, participant observation and different lenses to view the same topic in different ways; this is key for good evaluations. Additionally, a big component of anthropology is the study of the theoretical underpinnings of the discipline. Drawing on this helps me to apply different theories when evaluating. I have also completed courses from the Canadian Evaluation Society. From a professional perspective, I began my career with the provincial Government administering the Social Assistance Program and then transitioned into a policy role with the Department of Agriculture. A year and half ago, I moved into a full-time evaluation role. I have been involved in most stages of a program’s life cycle now: program development, program administration and now program evaluation.
What drew me to evaluation…
Before becoming the Evaluation and Performance Analyst at the PEI Department of Agriculture and Land, I worked as a Policy Coordinator in the Department for a number of years. I always found this work satisfying because it allowed me the opportunity to work in an arena that is focused on process and evidence. In this role, a large portion of my time was coordinating the Department’s performance monitoring activities. I began to notice that I was always most drawn to projects that had an evaluative focus. I think this is because, in a way, the purpose and outputs of program evaluation aligns with my personal public servant ethos. Program evaluation provides opportunities for learning, accountability and informed decision-making, ultimately to improve programs, policies and services. Being involved in these types of projects supports me both professionally, and personally, to work towards the public good.
Evaluations I have been involved with recently…
Most recently I was leading an evaluation of the Department of Agriculture and Land’s suite of programming under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. This evaluation focused on twelve separate programs, and the four outcomes associated with the suite. I was able to use online surveys and key informant interviews to collect evidence to answer the evaluation questions. Currently, I am leading several other program evaluation projects and collecting data from dozens of performance monitoring and reporting plans.
What I like most about evaluation…
My favorite part of evaluation is the planning process. I enjoy developing evaluation matrices, as this is the time where I feel that I can be most creative in figuring out how to answer the questions that need to be answered. This part of evaluation is exciting, because it allows me to build a project from the ground up. I also really enjoy writing-up evaluation results. A benefit of evaluation is having a “full circle moment”, which often comes about during write-up, when you see how your evaluation plan was implemented and then finally resulted in findings.
Ways that I think evaluation can benefit society…
From a public sector perspective, evaluations should allow the public to understand what was achieved with public funds. It is an important part of the public policy process. Additionally, evaluations should support decision-makers to make informed, evidence-based decisions, which lead to better public policy outcomes.
My advice for a new evaluator…
My first piece of advice would be to put a lot of time into planning an evaluation (it will pay off in the long run). Evaluation is a big field with a lot of opportunity, which may feel daunting. Try not to feel overwhelmed with the breadth of the discipline and practice, but rather inspired by it. Take as much training as you can, there is always something to learn and always ways to improve.