Engineers Without Borders: Organizational Assessment
Robert Mitchell
Robert Mitchell
May 2008
Highlights
In the spring of 2008, CIDA contracted an independent evaluator, Robert Mitchell, to conduct an organisational assessment. This is not a program review, and does not examine outcomes, but instead assesses the capacity of the organisation to undertake its proposed programming. His conclusions are as as follows:
CIDA’s funding is a wise investment. As well, it connects CIDA with another opportunity to learn about newer, innovative programming and how it’s accomplished. EWB has:
» A coherent set of integrated and mutually reinforcing programs which have evolved out of many experiments. All staff and chapter members are pursuing the same goals.
» A “transparency” that is truly transparent
» A large and active member base, out of which its staff emerge
» Expanding networks now reaching into corporate, university and policy research circles of influence
» An entrepreneurial problem-solving approach; apply best practices in management and communications technology
» Extensive leadership development embedded in all its initiatives; its staff and members train, coach and build teams; and increasing apply this approach with African partners.
Moreover, EWB continually:
» Functions in a learning and risk taking mode combined with a strong results-oriented culture; use both hard and proxy data to assess results
» Assesses cost efficiency; for example, to focus on achieving their goals they manage their time resources ruthlessly
» Gets quickly down to the details to link ideas to experiments, and goals to action.
