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Share and share alike: evaluating networks

Networking has expanded considerably in recent years as the value of ‘knowledge’ is increasingly recognised in the development arena. We know why networks are important to stakeholders: for funders they facilitate dissemination and encourage resource sharing; for practitioners they reduce professional isolation and provide insights into the discipline; for users networks supply higher quality and more appropriate research. Yet, little is known about facilitating and managing network operations.

WEDC, the Water, Engineering and Development Centre at Loughborough University, has acted as project manager for GARNET (Global Applied Research Network) with support from the UK Department for International Development since late 1993. Although operational aspects have developed and changed over time (through local network centres, conducting an evaluation of activities in early 1998, and adopting new information technologies), the conceptual basis to GARNET has remained largely unaltered. Throughout, lessons learned from facilitation of GARNET have been collated and documented, now synthesised into a single report.

Key issues that need addressing include:

Careful attention needs to be paid to factors or ‘incentives’ that motivate participation in a network.
Network facilitators need to emphasise explaining and demonstrating the tangible benefits arising from participation in networks.
A culture of networking and communication needs to be developed and fostered between co-ordinator and network members, especially during the network’s infancy.
Information technologies have transformed networking operations and impacts and will continue to do so. How can individuals without Internet access contribute to network dynamics? How can the emergence of ‘second class citizens’ be avoided?

Implications for policy to emerge from the study include:

Decentralisation of network operations is a slow and resource intensive activity. The dynamism of local co-ordinators can significantly impact on the success or otherwise of a decentralised management structure.
There is significant potential for co-production of networking events to achieve greater synergy and wider impact of donor funds.
Regular, ‘mini’-evaluations are required to maintain the network’s overall direction. More substantive, periodic evaluations (external or internal) are valuable checks on progress and can bring about more formal reorientation of the network’s objectives and mode of operation.
Adequate data and monitoring systems are a critical part of the process of reflection for.

Source(s):
'Share and Share Alike: Reflections on Facilitating the Global Applied Research Network (GARNET) 1993-2001' Water Supply and Sanitation Centre (WEDC): Loughborough University by Darren Saywell, Julie Woodfield and Andrew Cotton (2001)

Funded by: WEDC 1993 – 2001 (on-going)

id21 Research Highlight: 15 May 2001

Further Information:
Darren Saywell
Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC)
c/o WHO (CCW)
20 Avenue Appia
CH-1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland

Tel: +41 22 791 4535
Fax: +41 22 791 4847
Contact the contributor: saywelld@who.ch

Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC)

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