5 Implementation & Data Collection
Your results only mean something if the change actually happened as planned. Track delivery, not just outcomes.
Before you move on
- You're tracking whether the intervention was delivered as planned.
- You record any changes to the plan as they happen, with dates.
- You check incoming data for errors and gaps regularly, not only at the end.
- You know how you'll handle dropouts and missing responses.
- You're noting other changes in your setting that could affect your outcomes.
If your outcomes don’t change, the first question is whether the intervention was really delivered. If they do change, the first question is what else changed at the same time. Both questions are only answerable if you keep records while the project runs.