Case Study: Benchmarking Best Practices in Conference Evaluation: Women Deliver 2023

In July 2023, Women Deliver hosted its triennial conference in Kigali, Rwanda, marking the event's inaugural occurrence in Africa. Themed "Spaces, Solidarity, and Solutions," Women Deliver 2023 (WD2023) welcomed 6,300 attendees from over 170 countries, solidifying its status as one of the most significant multi-sectoral convenings for advancing gender equality. The conference was co-created by Women Deliver, grassroots advocates, multilateral governments, the private sector, philanthropies, and youth, including from and representing communities facing systemic discrimination. 

A post-conference survey conducted by Women Deliver found that 91 percent of respondents view convenings like WD2023 as crucial for advancing gender equality. Respondents indicated that the conference advanced their work (93 percent), found WD2023 to be inspiring and energizing (86 percent), and felt it helped advance their organization or group's mission (82 percent).

To comprehensively understand the conference's value, assess WD2023's impact, and inform future event strategies, Women Deliver engaged Althaë Strategy to conduct an external, independent After-Action Review (AAR).

What We Did

 A testament to Women Deliver's commitment to the AAR, the organization granted Althaë Strategy full access to internal documents, financial reports, digital analytics, and staff.

Althaë Strategy began by conducting a comprehensive desk review of materials shared by Women Deliver. Following the desk review, Althaë Strategy conducted 47 key informant interviews with internal stakeholders, including Staff/Consultants and the Board of Directors, and external stakeholders, including vendors, funders and sponsors, sponsored delegates, Regional Convening Partners, program organizers, Rwandan government partners, and members of the WD2023 Advisory Group and the WD2023 Youth Planning Committee.

Althaë Strategy designed a questionnaire for the key informant interviews to evaluate relevance, coherence, effectiveness, and efficiency across the five individual/personal goals of networking, partner, learning, value/cost, and carbon footprint. The framework for the questionnaire was based on the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) Evaluation Criteria.

AAR Findings and Recommendations

 The AAR found that while global convenings are valued, a more streamlined, outcome-focused approach is advisable for future conferences. Additionally, enhancing organizational health and clearly defining Women Deliver's mission and identity is crucial for sustained success and impact, alongside forging effective partnerships.

Althaë Strategy's AAR was executed with actionable steps in mind, offering findings, recommendations, and a strategy for Women Deliver's next steps.

Following the AAR, Althaë Strategy met with Women Deliver to review the findings, answer questions, and discuss strategic recommendations.

Rationale for External Evaluations

 Engaging an external firm for an AAR aligns with best practices in organizational accountability and effectiveness.

 Objective Assessment: External firms provide unbiased assessments, which are crucial for evaluating an event's success, challenges, and areas for improvement.

Expertise and Specialized Knowledge: Firms like Althaë Strategy bring specialized evaluation methodologies and industry insights, often uncovering aspects not evident in internal reviews.

 Credibility with Stakeholders: Independent evaluations by reputable firms boost credibility with stakeholders, enhancing the organization's reputation and trust.

Focus on Strategic Goals: AARs align event outcomes with broader strategic objectives, identifying gaps and opportunities for better alignment with the organization's mission.

Resource Optimization: Engaging an external organization allows internal resources to focus on core activities and leverage expertise for efficient process execution.

Benchmarking and Learning Opportunities: External AARs offer benchmarking against industry standards and provide broad learning opportunities for organizational development.

Actionable Recommendations: These evaluations culminate in actionable recommendations, guiding future planning and refining events for greater impact.

Conclusion

Women Deliver's decision to engage Althaë Strategy for an independent AAR of the WD2023 underscores a commitment to excellence, transparency, and continuous improvement. This approach enhances individual event quality and contributes to overall strategic development, setting a high standard for accountability and strategic success in the non-profit sector. Strong, well-governed organizations are capable of delivering their mission with greater impact.