International network: monitoring and evaluation report 2022-2023

Annex A: Reporting guidance and template

Publication plans

1. The M&E reports will be proactively published. This is good M&E practice in general, and supports transparency – but it also provides the opportunity to celebrate and showcase the great work done by the External Network. The Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee also recommended SG to publish annual reports in the future.
2. With the publication in mind, consider any information (e.g. individual/company names) that may have to be anonymised. You’ll be the best experts on this in terms of what is and is not appropriate in the public domain. If you would like to incorporate names please seek permission from the relevant individuals first.
3. The International Network Team are leading on the Annual Report which is a separate publication to the M&E report – this will draw on the information provided in the M&E reports so no further work is required of the External Network. Colleagues may come to you with specific queries and questions to clarify things as they draft the Annual Report.

Formatting/guidance

4. Please do not format the template further – we’ll work on the final formatting once we have all the reports. Please try to keep the pages as simple (and text-based) as possible.
5. When completing the template, please make sure to address all questions.
6. Anything highlighted in red, should be deleted once your report is completed.
7. Please do not use more than 1 page per strategic objective (Reputation, Trade, R&I, Investment, Scotland’s interests).
8. The minimum font size is 12.
9. The page numbers are limited, but one additional page can be added which you can use as you wish (e.g. a more in-depth case study on a specific piece of work).
10. If you include photos, every photo needs to include a description of what it shows and the source.

Data/evidence

11. Please provide one in-depth case study per strategic objective. You can list some other examples (briefly!) in the summary section if you’d like.
12. The report will draw on both qualitative and quantitative data.
13. Quantitative (numeric) data are mainly used to report on the various indicators that are located in the box in the top right corner of each strategic objective page. Much of these data will be provided by SDI centrally – please do not fill in details where it is signalled the data will come from SDI centrally.
14. Your case studies will likely mainly draw on qualitative data (e.g. feedback, interviews, free text survey questions, evidence from media) – but you can of course also include any relevant quantitative data (e.g. number of attendees, number of media articles).
15. If you identify a case study that would benefit from further data gathering (e.g. interviews/focus groups with stakeholders), please speak to analyst colleagues in the Constitution, International and Migration Analysis unit.

Impact/lessons learned

16. The last page aims to capture long-term impact. We ask you to go back to previous M&E reports and data you hold on work conducted 1, 2 or more years ago, and to provide examples of what long-term difference these interventions have made.
17. A key part of evaluations is lessons learned – the last page provides space to add your reflections. What did not go well? What did not go to plan? Were there any unintended consequences, potentially negative ones?

Context for 2022/23

What is unique to the office; what resources are available

(building, headcount – mandatory indicators)

photo

Reflections

What were the biggest achievements / biggest challenges for the offices

Reputation

• What were your main aims/objectives?
• What went well, what did not?
• What challenges did you face?

Stats/ Figures

• Twitter engagement rate and new followers (growth from previous year and absolute number) (mandatory – provided by Dexa Comms)
• Ministerial engagements (mandatory – provided by offices)
• Mentions in media articles (if number is meaningful/available, please also provide qualitative assessment in the summary or case study)

Case study (using testimonials; surveys; media; feedback; statistics)

Use this box to provide context and background information on what was done to deliver your main output (what was the deliverable? E.g. event, report…) and outcomes (what changed?).

Think about the following questions:

• What resources did you put in? (Time, money, staff, etc.)
• What did you do and how? What tasks did you complete?
• What activities took place to produce the final output or deliverable?

Use this box to explain what the output or deliverable was (e.g. an event or meeting that you organised, a report you published), and what broader outcomes did this piece of work help you meet or work towards.

Think about the following questions:

• What was delivered (outputs)?
• What difference did it make?
• What were the intended and unintended outcomes (both positive and negative)?
• How can you prove this difference and (un)intended outcomes? What evidence / data could you draw on here?

International Trade

• What were your main aims/objectives?
• What went well, what did not?
• What challenges did you face?

Please do not fill in – ALL provided centrally by SDI

Stats/ Figures

• Number of companies supported
• Number of international trade opportunities identified
• Forecast international sales as a result of SDI support

Case study (using testimonials; surveys; media; feedback; statistics)

Use this box to provide context and background information on what was done to deliver your main output (what was the deliverable? E.g. event, report…) and outcomes (what changed?).

Think about the following questions:

• What resources did you put in? (Time, money, staff, etc.)
• What did you do and how? What tasks did you complete?
• What activities took place to produce the final output or deliverable?

Use this box to explain what the output or deliverable was (e.g. an event or meeting that you organised, a report you published), and what broader outcomes did this piece of work help you meet or work towards.

Think about the following questions:

• What was delivered (outputs)?
• What difference did it make?
• What were the intended and unintended outcomes (both positive and negative)?
• How can you prove this difference and (un)intended outcomes? What evidence / data could you draw on here?

Research and Innovation

• What were your main aims/objectives?
• What went well, what did not?
• What challenges did you face?

Stats/ Figures

• Number and type of engagements with stakeholders such as universities (mandatory – provided by offices)
• Number of events (example)
• Amount of funding secured (example)

Case study (using testimonials; surveys; media; feedback; statistics)

Use this box to provide context and background information on what was done to deliver your main output (what was the deliverable? E.g. event, report…) and outcomes (what changed?).

Think about the following questions:

• What resources did you put in? (Time, money, staff, etc.)
• What did you do and how? What tasks did you complete?
• What activities took place to produce the final output or deliverable?

Use this box to explain what the output or deliverable was (e.g. an event or meeting that you organised, a report you published), and what broader outcomes did this piece of work help you meet or work towards.

Think about the following questions:

• What was delivered (outputs)?
• What difference did it make?
• What were the intended and unintended outcomes (both positive and negative)?
• How can you prove this difference and (un)intended outcomes? What evidence / data could you draw on here?

Investment

• What were your main aims/objectives?
• What went well, what did not?
• What challenges did you face?

Please do not fill in – ALL provided centrally by SDI

Stats/ Figures

• Number of inward investment projects landed as a result of SDI support
• Number of planned total jobs
• Number of planned green jobs
• Number of jobs created/safeguarded paying RLW
• Planned R&D investment
• Value of planned capital investment

Case study (using testimonials; surveys; media; feedback; statistics)

Use this box to provide context and background information on what was done to deliver your main output (what was the deliverable? E.g. event, report…) and outcomes (what changed?).

Think about the following questions:

• What resources did you put in? (Time, money, staff, etc.)
• What did you do and how? What tasks did you complete?
• What activities took place to produce the final output or deliverable?

Use this box to explain what the output or deliverable was (e.g. an event or meeting that you organised, a report you published), and what broader outcomes did this piece of work help you meet or work towards.

Think about the following questions:

• What was delivered (outputs)?
• What difference did it make?
• What were the intended and unintended outcomes (both positive and negative)?
• How can you prove this difference and (un)intended outcomes? What evidence / data could you draw on here?

Scotland’s interests

• What were your main aims/objectives?
• What went well, what did not?
• What challenges did you face?

Stats/ Figures

• Global Scots Network (size and growth) (mandatory – provided centrally by SDI)
• Number and type of networks Scotland is part of through office (mandatory)

Case study (using testimonials; surveys; media; feedback; statistics)

Use this box to provide context and background information on what was done to deliver your main output (what was the deliverable? E.g. event, report…) and outcomes (what changed?).

Think about the following questions:

• What resources did you put in? (Time, money, staff, etc.)
• What did you do and how? What tasks did you complete?
• What activities took place to produce the final output or deliverable?

Use this box to explain what the output or deliverable was (e.g. an event or meeting that you organised, a report you published), and what broader outcomes did this piece of work help you meet or work towards.

Think about the following questions:

• What was delivered (outputs)?
• What difference did it make?
• What were the intended and unintended outcomes (both positive and negative)?
• How can you prove this difference and (un)intended outcomes? What evidence / data could you draw on here?

Medium to Long-term Impact

This section covers medium to long-term impact. Looking at previous years, are there examples of previous projects that have made a difference a year, two years or more later? How can you evidence this (statistics such as FDI, jobs created; testimonials; policies; collaborations, surveys, feedback etc.)? Remember to add relevant caveats where needed (there may be multiple contributing factors leading to an impact). Please do not use examples from the current year (2022/23) under review here – make sure to look further back and reflect how the work done in previous years is bearing fruit now.

Lessons learned for FY 2022/23

Please include here any challenges or lessons learned. What didn’t go as well as planned, or did not go to plan? Why is that? What would you have done differently? What learnings have you taken away as a result? Please identify areas of improvement in the coming year.