Anonymisation

Removing names and other identifying details so that no individual can be recognised from the information. It protects people’s privacy when data is stored, analysed or shared.

Baseline

A measurement taken at the start, before a change or programme begins. Comparing later results with the baseline shows what has changed.

Benchmarking

Comparing your own results, service or outcomes with published research, standards or national figures, to see how you measure up and what good looks like.

Case study

A short account of what was done, who it involved and what changed, told with evidence. Case studies bring the numbers to life and show others what your work looks like in practice.

Commissioning

Buying in a service from an outside provider, usually by describing what you need in a brief and inviting bids. Good commissioning means asking for the right thing and comparing offers fairly.

CPD

Continuing professional development: training and learning that helps people keep building their skills and knowledge throughout their working life.

Critical friend

An independent person who gives honest, constructive feedback, supporting you to look at your work with fresh eyes and improve it.

Dissemination

Planning how findings, learning or project outputs are shared, so that they reach the right people, in the right format, at the right time, and lead to action rather than being filed away.

Evidence review

A structured way of finding, judging and summarising existing evidence on a topic. Reviews range from a quick scan of what is out there to a thorough, repeatable review of what works.

Grey literature

Useful material that is not published in academic journals, such as reports from public bodies and charities, policy documents, briefings and internal papers. It is often where practical, up-to-date evidence is found.

Implementation

Putting a plan, programme or new way of working into practice, and keeping it going. Good implementation plans cover who does what, with what resources, and how you will know it is working.

Mixed methods

Combining numbers with narrative, this approach offers the best of both worlds. It allows a richer, more layered understanding of an issue and is especially valuable in complex projects where no single method is enough.

Example: A national body used mixed-methods research to explore outcomes of a new digital support service. Surveys captured broad trends, while interviews helped understand user experiences and barriers.

Monitoring and evaluation

The ongoing, structured use of information to understand what you are doing, how well it is working and what to improve next. Monitoring tracks activity, reach and quality as you go; evaluation looks at what is changing and why.

Outcome measures

The questions, scales or indicators used to show whether a change has happened for the people involved, such as confidence, wellbeing, knowledge or behaviour.

Peer review

Independent checking of a piece of work by experts in the same field before it is published. It helps make sure the methods are sound and the conclusions are fair.

Primary research

Research that collects new information for the first time, specifically for your question. It is used when the information you need does not exist yet, is incomplete or is out of date, and might involve surveys, interviews, observation or a mix.

Qualitative data and research

Ideal for understanding lived experience, behaviours or attitudes in more depth. We use methods like interviews, focus groups or observation to explore the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind the numbers.

Example: A charity working with older adults commissioned qualitative research to understand how loneliness was experienced differently in urban and rural settings. The findings helped tailor future interventions.

Quantitative data and research

Sometimes numerical data is the most useful. This is called quantitative data, and projects that analyse numerical data are called quantitative research.

Quantitative data is often gathered through structured data collection and analysis, using surveys, audits or routine data. It helps identify patterns, trends or relationships, and is well suited to measuring changes over time, assessing reach, or evaluating defined outcomes.

Example: A local authority used survey-based research to assess changes in parental confidence following a parenting course. Results supported both internal improvement and external reporting.

ROI (return on investment)

A measure of what you get back compared with what you spent, usually shown as a percentage. For example, an ROI of 200% means you got back three times what you spent.

Routine data

Information collected as part of day-to-day work rather than for a specific study, for example attendance records, service use, feedback forms or staff surveys. It can often be analysed to answer new questions without collecting anything new.

Sampling

Deciding who to include in a study, and how many people, so that the results fairly reflect the wider group you care about.

Secondary research

Research that finds, selects and analyses information that already exists, such as published studies, reports, policy documents and routine records. It re-uses what is already out there to give fresh insight, and is often quicker and less costly than collecting new information.

Stakeholders

Anyone who is affected by, or has an interest in, a piece of work, such as staff, leaders, funders, partners and the people you serve.

Theory of change

A simple, shared picture of how your activities are expected to lead to the changes you want, and what needs to be true for that to happen. It is a useful starting point for evaluation.

Thought leadership

Sharing original, evidence-based insight that shows an organisation knows its field, for example through research reports, articles and talks. Done well, it builds trust and makes others more likely to seek you out.

Train-the-trainer

An approach where a small number of people are trained, and then go on to train colleagues in their own team or setting. It helps learning spread across a larger organisation.