Short Abstract

This presentation will describe an evaluation of a knowledge network in Great Britain to reduce gambling harms, that uses utilisation-focused and collective impact principles, visual storytelling, and collective sensemaking to support continuous improvement.

Description

This presentation describes the development of an evaluation and performance monitoring framework for the Network to Reduce Gambling Harms in Great Britain (‘the Network’). The Network launched in a politically challenging environment, amid major policy shifts in how prevention, research, and treatment are funded, that required a relational approach to development and evaluation.

The Network was created to bring together people and organisations from the third sector, academia, government, public health, and those with lived experience to identify shared priorities and take collective action to reduce gambling-related harms. Its structure includes a backbone organisation providing governance and communications support, along with a Steering Committee of community organisations. Network activities include conducting a priority setting process, commissioning community-led projects, producing research and evaluation snapshots, hosting knowledge mobilisation events, and facilitating Communities of Practice.

To examine the Network’s implementation and emerging impacts, our team developed an evaluation and performance monitoring framework grounded in utilisation-focused and relational principles. Informed by collective impact, the framework is organised around five pillars: network connectivity, common agenda, backbone support, continuous communication, and mutually reinforcing actions. It addresses process questions regarding participant engagement, participant experience, and backbone support, and outcome questions about how the Network contributes to knowledge generation, mobilisation, and practical application. Evaluation activities were embedded from the outset to support continuous learning and inform decision-making.

This presentation will:

• Provide an overview of the establishment of the Network within the shifting gambling harms policy environment in Great Britain.

• Demonstrate how visual storytelling and collective sensemaking transform evaluation findings into actionable learning.

• Show how evaluation findings are informing decisions by Network leadership and governance.

Participants will leave with insight into three core components of the Network’s evaluation and performance monitoring framework:

• Iterative codesign and sensemaking: A Network Evaluation Team of Network participants provides strategic insight into evaluation design and implementation, engages in sensemaking of evaluation data, and identifies actionable improvements.

• Visual storytelling: Information design and data visualisation principles were applied to evaluative tools, such as a Theory of Change, pathway of change, and evaluative framework, to make them accessible for a range of audiences and support a shared understanding. Interactive dashboards display close to real-time monitoring data on participation, engagement, and progress towards outcomes to support Network decision makers to respond quickly to emerging insights.

• Culture of collective learning and reflection: Ongoing data collection and regular reflection touchpoints enable Network leadership to make informed and timely decisions to support continuous improvement.

Overall, this presentation illustrates how evaluation can guide the development of a knowledge network by providing the right data at the right time to support learning and improvement. It is intended for evaluators interested in complex, multi-sector community-based initiatives and the use of data visualisation for action.