Tools We Use

Usable Knowledge specializes in finding practical, valid and meaningful ways of answering the questions clients pose. Most projects employ multiple methods since this is often the best way reap the benefits each tool offers. Whatever approach we take, we are obsessed with research efficiency, that is to say, getting the highest amount of useful information at the lowest possible cost. The time we put into planning the data collection phase ensures that the time we spend on fieldwork is well spent.

Here are some of the tools we have worked with in the past:

• Surveys Are those we provide services to happy with what they receive? What are their needs and priorities? Why do they attend or not attend our program? Are our staff satisfied with their jobs? For membership organizations– who are our members, what are their needs? How are we perceived by our community?
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• Stakeholder Interviews and Focus Groups - How do the organizations we partner with perceive their relationship with our organization? What issues do leaders in our community perceive as most pressing? How do they view our role in helping to address those issues? What is the experience of being a participant in our program? What do our program’s participants believe we should be doing?
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• Field Experiments - Which program works the best? How do program participants do compared to those who don’t get the program? Does getting more services lead to better outcomes?
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• Analysis of Program Records - How do people progress through our program? Who drops out and when? Which sub-groups utilize which services? What services do they utilize most often? What is their demographic profile? How long does it take to access services? What times of the day or year are our busiest? Who are our best referral sources?
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