Pass-fail Evaluation If there are a large number of ideas that need to be reviewed — for instance
Pass-fail Evaluation
If there are a large number of ideas that need to be reviewed — for instance, you have run a company-wide ideas campaign on a popular issue and have generated hundreds of ideas – a simple pass-fail evaluation is often essential to bring the idea pool down to manageable levels. It is best to start with a simple criterion for determining whether an idea will go on to a more in-depth evaluation. This criterion might be related to budget, time-frames, fit with company culture or just practical viability.
Evaluation Matrices
The evaluation matrix is a simple array in which experts compare an idea with a set of criteria. In our experience, five criteria is best as it allows for a rounded review without bogging the evaluators down in unnecessary detail. The evaluator ranks how well the idea meets each criterion (we use a scale of 0-5 points for each criterion). Evaluators are also encouraged to provide comments elaborating on their ratings and, in particular, suggesting how the idea might be improved to overcome weaknesses. The evaluation matrix provides a criterion by criterion score as well as an overall score for each idea.
SWOT Analysis
An analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) is an old marketing stand-by and as such is a useful follow up to an evaluation matrix. In the unlikely event you are unfamiliar with SWOT analysis, it is a simple form in which reviewers indicate the potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of an idea.
Survey or Questionnaire-based Analysis
Questionnaires are simple and effective tools for collecting information from a large number of people. Compared with other ways of collecting information, questionnaires are relatively inexpensive to administer. They can be used to gather information about the community-building process itself (process evaluation) or the results it produced (outcome evaluation).
