Anyone who has had joy and privilege of being around precocious children or adolescent youth can attest to the dread associated with the three-letters – Why? While this may not conjure up the best memories, we can generally agree that a full reasoned response to why can necessitate a ‘pull the car over’, ‘put down the newspaper’, ‘take the pot off the heat’, or even a ‘pause Game of Thrones’ moment. From the time we emerge from our cradles to well past the prime of our careers, we are often pondering the why. Whether in the middle of a time out, in a lecture hall, on a basketball court, in a board meeting, in the middle of a good book, or while balancing our budget we are constantly seeking answers to the why in life.
Measurement and data analysis have emerged for every conceivable aspect of life, tracking our daily steps or tallying up our monthly spending at our favorite coffee shop. Data, in some form, remain a constant factor in the human experience. Given this perpetual state of measurement, we naturally want additional data to inform even more decisions.
It is important, however, to pause and be intentional about collecting the correct data and whether these data will allow us to explore the right questions to satisfy our why. Understanding the why begins with having necessary data in place to see what the proper questions are. In the context of the work of the Eastside Pathways Partnership, whether exploring factors leading to disparate levels of kindergarten readiness, the efficacy of in-school mentoring efforts or trends in college completion, stakeholders and partners require reliable numbers to examine the why.
When a partner or any community-based organization is looking to see how their efforts are helping students progress along a social-emotional learning pathway, they will need to figure out which data to collect before exploring why the data are behaving that way. An organization may want to examine the extent of their program’s influence on a youth’s ability to show agency in their school community or on their ability to recognize and exercise the different methods of leadership. Asking the correct questions will bring each organization to the place where they can accurately explore their impact on the population with which they work. Collecting the right data sets them on a path to figure out:
- As an organization, should we use, or seek help in using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed research analyses when pursuing root causes?
- As an organization, how should we structure our survey to receive the valid data necessary for deeper analysis?
Data points are powerful, and even in the absence of explanation or nuance can frame and define a deeper dive into metrics, factor analysis, and dynamic trends that make up the why. If they cannot explore the why, partners can be left without the directions and tools to address challenges they face or explain precisely how their efforts are moving the needle toward their outcomes.
As we do the work of collective impact, we should incorporate wonder and curiosity while improving our collaborative efforts. Let us also lean on the data to help guide our wonder, and fulfill and inform our curiosity.
~ Payton Richardson, Data Officer at Eastside Pathways
If you have any questions on your why and data, please reach out to Payton payton@eastsidepathways.org
Read our Community Report 2019 | View our Data Dashboard