Blog- Overwhelmed by Information Overload?
Overwhelmed by Information Overload?
Today, as I was enjoying 15 minutes of sun on a sidewalk bench, I was struck by how many people are on their cell phones all the time. We have information overload – but rarely take the time to process or make sense of it all. Worse yet, we are constantly pinged with superficial information on a large number of things that we may not devote time to reflect on the really important or in-depth information coming our way.
In my evaluation work, I’ve seen nonprofits, government agencies, and foundations struggle with similar scenarios of information overload. More often than not, staff are bombarded with information and are rarely afforded the opportunity to make sense of it. This is where evaluation comes in. An evaluation system puts into place the infrastructure to intentionally and systematically collect, analyze, and reflect on data to inform strategic decision making. As with any organizational change, kick-starting a new evaluation system can be challenging. It’s OK to start small and focused. Doing so will help your organization pilot the systems and infrastructure it needs as part of a potentially larger, more encompassing evaluation system that helps make sense out of all this information.
