Читать книгу Animal Behavior for Shelter Veterinarians and Staff - Группа авторов - Страница 201

It is crucial that organizations design safety net programs for their communities in a way that allows for measurable impact. Program goals and the desired impact should be specified and quantified at the beginning of program development and modified as needed during program planning and after implementation. Organizations need to decide what metrics best measure program impact and how best to collect those data. Resources should be planned to support data collection, which should happen at multiple points in the program’s lifetime. Data should be collected before the program is launched to determine a baseline, shortly after launch as a check‐in to evaluate rollout and operations, and at regular intervals thereafter to calculate metrics and determine impact. Impact metrics measure the effects of the program in terms of the program’s goals, but usage metrics are important to track as well. Usage metrics measure program use, such as number of clients (human and animal) served, number of calls to a behavior helpline, or amount of food used from a food pantry. Analyzing impact and usage metrics at regular intervals is critical to assessing success in meeting program goals and identifying issues.

It is also helpful to gather feedback from clients and personnel to understand their experiences and perceptions of the programs as well as suggestions for improvement. Surveys, interviews, and focus groups can be used, but more informal methods are valuable sources of information too. These include comment cards and forms (physical or virtual), emails or telephone calls, casual conversations, and even social media posts by clients, all of which may provide more immediate insight into program satisfaction. Feedback from clients and related personnel can help contextualize metrics as well as provide valuable insights into the client experience.