Draft Principles of Good Practice - Informant Perspective

1. The evaluation team will offer informants a written statement about the principles and practice, which will underpin the conduct of the evaluation. This statement will clarify how the evaluators will collect and record data and what rights the informants have within that process (e.g. DPA will apply to all data collected and stored). Such a document may form part of the negotiation of the evaluation teams access to a programme or evaluation site.
2. Before data collection begins, an informant will have the opportunity to contact one or more members of the evaluation team (preferably in confidence) to develop and clarify their understanding of the purpose of the evaluation, ensuring that their future participation is informed and voluntary.
3. Informants can expect that the evaluation team will communicate with them during the evaluation, responding to questions or concerns and reporting back when agreed and where appropriate.
4. All information offered by and collected about an informant is confidential. It will be held securely during the evaluation and the anonymity of the informant should be maintained.
5. Should a complaint arise the evaluation team will provide a clearly specified independent channel for the complaint to be heard.
6. Written reports will be available on the for-us section of the LTSN web site for informants whose data is part of the report. The penultimate draft of the final or other overview reports will be available prior to any public dissemination of the reports so that informants have the opportunity to make and prepare comments.
7. Every informant, where reasonably practicable, will have access to a copy of the final submitted report.
8. Direct use of primary data, other than anonymised extracts in reports, such as interview transcripts or still/video images, will be subject to the consent of the informant. If data that includes direct representation of persons and events or that is likely to breach informants confidentiality is to be made public its fairness, accuracy and relevance will be negotiated with the informant before being made public.
   

C.J. 12-01