Our Trials Unit brings together expertise across IES from different research perspectives and subject disciplines, to share best practice and use the most robust counterfactual designs to get to the heart of understanding and evaluating interventions. This includes our work in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) both advising on design and the set-up phase as well as carrying out impact evaluations, with rigorous implementation and process evaluations. It also includes our work on quasi-experimental designs such as matching designs using techniques such as Regression Discontinuity Designs, Propensity Score Matching and Difference in Differences.
We have worked for government departments, What Works Centres and sector specific funders across employment, HR and education and skills such as Department of Work and Pensions, Department for Education, Youth Futures Foundation, Education Endowment Foundation, Cranfield University School of Management and RSSB.
Our staff are experienced at managing RCT projects to the highest standards and following CONSORT guidelines. This includes registering trials with protocols on recognised resources such as with ISRCTN or the Open Science Framework. Our trial protocols fully describe the methodology, measures and timelines and statistical analysis plans outline our approach to using the data so there is transparency and rigour at all stages of our work. We follow the latest data protection guidelines ensuring ethical research conduct. We have critical standards for quality assurance at all stages.
We regularly advise clients on the best approach to research design and are happy to help clients with early thinking about what would work for their projects.
Impact evaluation – our team of economists are able to undertake randomisation (including using stratification and minimisation techniques), compliance analysis, cost analysis and impact analysis including multilevel modelling. Our impact evaluation specialists include Seemanti Ghosh and Susie Bamford.
Theory-based impact evaluation – our team brings advanced theory-based capability to support high quality assessments that sit alongside RCTs and QEDs or provide an alternative to assessing impact. Rosie Gloster, Becci Newton and Joy Williams bring innovative methods to theory-based evaluations including contribution analysis, process tracing, qualitative comparative analysis and ripple effects mapping.
Implementation and process evaluation – our key IPE specialists are Alison Carter, Rosie Gloster, Clare Huxley and Ceri Williams who are able to deploy a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods (including observations, surveys, remote and in-person interviewing, webinars and workshops) and analysis, to provide formative and summative assessments in implementation and lessons that can be drawn.
Related projects
Health-led Trials impact evaluation reports
Evaluation Partners
We are proud to be members of a number of evaluation panels for organisations including: