MEERQAT as an evaluation tool

Harness the full potential of your program logic models

Indicators tell only part of the story in an evaluation, while the logic models that give rise to the indicators are a largely untapped evaluation resource. When used as an evaluation tool, MEERQAT helps you access all the value in your logic models.

Convert your logic model into an interactive evaluation tool

The MEERQAT Basemap Builder lets you create process maps, program logic models and theory of change models that can be used as interactive data collection tools in the context of process, project or program evaluation. The interactive tools not only capture data that reflect stakeholder experiences, they can also be used to present indicator performance data.

Use your logic model as an evaluation tool to gain unique insights

Capture valuable stakeholder knowledge about process, project or program implementation through MEERQAT’s unique interactive Assessment Tool interface. Each node prompts a conversation about that aspect of the system being evaluated. Ratings and comments from stakeholders can be recorded and supporting documents can be attached. The discussion promotes information sharing and reveals insights about implementation often missed through indicator measurement.

Analyse and report

MEERQAT’s informative reports reveal the health of your processes, including overviews and node-by-node detail. Track progress with longitudinal comparison reports and compare multiple teams with horizontal comparison reports.

Evaluation Case Study

The Rural Community Intern Training (RCIT) Program is part of a suite of rural medical workforce programs developed by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to address rural medical workforce issues and rural health service viability. The program commenced at one site in 2012 and is now run at five locations in regional Victoria.

The RCIT Program evaluation framework that was developed in 2015 was designed to include both formative and summative evaluation activities. The expectation was that data collected through the early formative evaluations would assist each program site to undertake quality improvement activities, thereby creating a better and more sustainable program.

In the first formative evaluation, data was collected against 21 indicators and each program site completed a team-based assessment using a MEERQAT basemap created from the RCIT program logic map. The team-based assessment allowed groups of stakeholders to sit down together to discuss various aspects of program implementation, providing insights that were not readily discoverable through indicator data collection.

The MEERQAT assessment outcomes provided each program site with information that complemented and enhanced the learnings through the more traditional indicator measurements. In some cases, the assessment outcomes provided root cause analysis for issues flagged by indicator results. In other cases, the assessment outcomes flagged issues that the indicator results could not have detected, thereby providing early warning of issues that could impact on the medium- to long-term sustainability of the program.

In the final summative evaluation, each program site repeated their MEERQAT assessment, which allowed them to compare the state of their program at the beginning and the end of the 2.5 year evaluation period. This allowed program sites to determine where their quality improvement activities had achieved the desired outcome and where further work is required.