Build, Borrow, or Buy Your Way to Better Evaluation with Alaina Szlachta

Alaina Szlachta, PhD, is the founder of By Design Development Solutions and author of the recently published Measurement and Evaluation on a Shoestring. Alaina’s book provides advice for L&D professionals navigating tight budgets, limited resources, and demanding expectations. 

In this episode, Alaina unveils her practical framework for measurement and evaluation, organized into three actionable strategies: Build, Borrow, or Buy. Build: Tailor strategies to your organization by forming hypotheses for desired outcomes and enhancing data literacy. Borrow: Maximize efficiency by leveraging existing data and systems. Buy: Invest wisely in external solutions when stakeholder buy-in, ROI, and expertise align. 

Tune in for more advice on using artificial intelligence, available tools and templates, and other insights from Alaina.  

Resources:  

• Website: https://dralainaszlachta.com/ 
• The Weekly Measure newsletter: https://dralainaszlachta.substack.com/
• Book: https://www.td.org/product/book--measurement-and-evaluation-on-a-shoestring/112406  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drszlachta/