About – Understanding Value

About

I’m an evaluator, researcher, facilitator and advisor

My passion is helping others understand, maximise and sustain the value of their work for people, communities and places

I care deeply about evidence and being evidence informed

But I know that evidence alone won’t give you solutions or make change happen – you have to do something with your evidence if you want to learn from it and use it to bring about positive change.

I work with teams, partnerships and organisations to help them capture and use the evidence they need to understand, design, improve, demonstrate and commission or fund the change they want to create.

I work across multiple sectors and topics but have a focus on all things health, care and wellbeing, and a particular interest in:

System-wide change involving personalised care
Good-help/asset-based support
Early intervention
Spreading and sustaining innovations that makes people’s lives better.

My key skills and experience include:

Leading applied research and evaluation projects across different stages of the innovation process

Projects have ranged from those that involve generating ideas to turning them into something real and valuable through to spreading and scaling something that’s delivering benefits. My hands-on experience of helping others to design and implement change across multiple sectors brings practical insights to my research and evaluations.

Designing, delivering and translating quantitative and qualitative research to capture learning for diverse purposes

This includes rapid evidence reviews and mixed-method approaches to developmental, formative and summative evaluations, including the following methods: semi-structured and in-depth interviews; focus groups; narrative research; observational research; surveys; outcome/impact measurement (including quasi-experimental approaches); and cost-benefit analyses. I bring a thorough understanding of the factors that influence the credibility of various research approaches in the eyes of different stakeholders, including frontline teams and commissioners/funders, as well as those in the research and academic communities.

Working collaboratively with stakeholders at all levels and across different parts of local, regional and national systems

My projects have involved working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders to co-design, implement, evaluate and improve strategies and practice. Along the way I have developed a strong understanding of the range of cultures, opportunities and barriers faced by people in their various roles within and across diverse systems.

Producing tailored technical and non-technical outputs for diverse audiences and for multiple purposes

These include outputs that bring findings to life, draw out the ‘so what’ and translate learning and ideas into action, including: research reports and summaries; briefings; public summaries; blogs; presentations to different audiences (virtual and in person); learning and review workshops and sessions (virtual and in person); plans and roadmaps; practical guidance; and support resources.

Dr Yvonne Fullwood

My background

With nearly two decades’ experience of developing, implementing and evaluating policy, strategy and programmes across the public and voluntary and community sectors under my belt, I set up Understanding Value Ltd in 2016.

Previously I was an Associate Director in KPMG’s Public Sector and Economic Advisory teams, and then a Senior Managing Consultant in a smaller and more research- and evaluation-based consultancy, ICF International.

Before embracing the wonderful world of management consultancy, I was Senior Policy Manager in the quality improvement team at the Learning and Skills Council (now the Skills Funding Agency) and a Policy and Information Officer at Breakthrough Breast Cancer (now Breast Cancer Now). I also have a bit of a thing about science (I have a PhD in the Life Sciences from UCL) and, in what really feels like a lifetime ago, I co-founded the Café Scientifique at the Institute of Contemporary Arts.

What my clients say about me

Ok, enough from me. I asked some of my clients to tell me the three words (or there abouts) that immediately spring to mind when they think of me (and my approach) – here’s a flavour of what they said:

"Experienced. Rigorous. Supportive."

Jackie Harrison, Head of Evaluation, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity

“Provides leadership & vision. Strategic and high-level critical thinker but in touch with operational delivery. Politically astute & diplomatic.”

Harvir Lawrence, Director of Planning and Delivery, Birmingham and Solihull CCG

“Knowledgeable. Pragmatic. Conscientious.”

Pam Creaven, Services Director, Age UK

“Strategic. Insightful. Integrity.”

Martin Green, CEO, Age UK South Gloucestershire

“Engaging. Thorough. On-time.”

Tina Swani, CEO, Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice

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