Inception/Summative Evaluations of the SMART Suite of Operations
Led by Nigel Woodruff and Mike McManamon, The Innovation Partnership Ltd evaluated the SMART Suite of Operations (2014-2020), including a review of six discrete business plans and logic models, covering three SMART programmes (Innovation, Cymru and Expertise) over two Welsh ERDF regions. The SMART Suite of Operations remains the largest RD&I/ERDF (SO1.1 & 1.2) operational project in Wales. The evaluations included:
A Wales/Rest of the UK/EU policy and context review.
Development of an integrated Logic Model for all six projects.
Analysis of options for the monitoring and evaluation framework, including the counterfactual position.
Critical review of structure, governance and delivery strategy.
Internal/external stakeholder personal interviews conducted.
A detailed CCT review and a ‘first-of-a-kind’ CCT pilot, resulting in the Business Future-Proofing Toolkit, now feely available to other projects across the UK.
Introduction of operational best practice as observed elsewhere across the UK regions.
Recommendations for future support delivery and greater operational reach.
The evaluation methodologies employed focused on identifying impacts and reach of the Operation, qualifying outputs and outcomes and consequential benefits, and developing strategies for the Operation and users/beneficiaries. The conclusions and recommendations section received feedback from the client, with Phil Allen, Head of Innovation Team, Welsh Government, commenting that: “The evaluation was more informative and far-reaching than expected”.
Examples of Added Value Delivered by the Consultants
The increasing importance WEFO places on CCT adoption and demonstration was a key aspect of this exercise. In addition to the main evaluation report, the Consultants completed a £20k exercise to design and test an approach to mainstreaming CCTs. The approach won a WBFGA award (2019) and facilitated development of Welsh Government’s online Business Future-Proofing Toolkit for enterprises.
To add value to the evaluation process, The Innovation Partnership Ltd formed an Innovation-Support Discussion Group compromising of representatives from Welsh Government, the North East of England, Greater Manchester, Cornwall and Northern Ireland. This group now meets regularly to promote innovation and engagement to key funders and stakeholders such as InnovateUK and BEIS.