Program Observations Your Team Won’t Dread
Have you ever had a “surprise visit” or observation from a program monitor or evaluator that made your stomach turn? Even for the most seasoned, competent, and confident staff members, that moment can be panic inducing. But it doesn’t have to be! After visiting hundreds of programs over the years, we’ve learned a thing or two about how to turn site visits from a dreaded experience to (dare we say?) a positive one that can lead to meaningful conversation and professional development.
Below are just a few tips that have led us to truly positive moments before, during, and after our visits with our program partners.
1. Clarify WHY Observations Matter for Your Program
As coined by Simon Sinek, Start with Why. WHY is your team conducting (and/or receiving) observations this year? Is it to assess program quality? Fidelity to a curriculum? Implementation alignment between sites? Identification of future professional development opportunities? Effectiveness of a new strategy? Once you and your colleagues establish and communicate a clear understanding of why your observations matter, you will be more likely to create a strong, effective process. (Caveat: If your purpose is to assess individual performance, this post isn’t for you! That’s an HR role… as external evaluators, it’s beyond our scope!)
2. Work Together to Establish (or at least Share!) Criteria for “Success”
No one would like their program to be judged on criteria they don’t agree with or, even worse, don’t know exist. To get support from your colleagues being observed, consider working together to develop the criteria and a tool that will be used during the observation. Are your criteria already thoughtfully developed? Is your tool already in use? If so, at least carve out sufficient time before the observation to share and discuss the criteria, including the rationale behind them. This will support alignment and set your colleagues up for success. Who wouldn’t appreciate that?!
3. Find the Balance between Existing and Original Tools
There are fantastic models of observation tools available across multiple fields. As an example, in the youth development space, the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality is a leader, along with PEAR’s Dimensions of Success Framework. The benefit of drawing on existing tools is that they are often developed with expertise, resulting in evidence-informed, valid, and reliable tools. That said, not every organization has a best-in-practice observation framework for their sector. And even if they do, philosophies don’t always align. Take time to research what your field has to offer. Then you can determine if you want to adopt an existing model, start from scratch, or customize a tool that strikes a balance between the two.
4. Eliminate the “Gotcha” Moment
Observations simply provide a snapshot of your organization’s programming. If you can devote one hour to observe, whether scheduled or unscheduled, you’ll be able to gather all the information you need, including spontaneous interactions. So why stress out your program staff by walking or logging in unannounced? Instead, reach out to the staff in advance, introduce yourself (if external) and the purpose of the visit, share the observation criteria and/or tool, and arrange logistics so that you’re all on the same page from the start. This professional, advance communication will lay the groundwork for a positive observation experience.
5. Make the Debrief Count
Reflection is the key to maximizing our experience. Don’t let the observation moment come and go without a personal connection with your colleagues. Two questions we love to explore together after observations are:
What went WELL during the session?
If could rewind the clock to before the session started, what would you have done DIFFERENTLY?
Before wrapping up, consider giving your colleagues space to brainstorm the supports that would be most helpful to further advance their practice. It can be easy to forget that even adults (and, perhaps, especially adults) need positive opportunities for ongoing learning and growth.
Looking for observation support? Just reach out -- we’d love to connect!