Seeing is believing? Experiences of using systematic social observation as an evaluation method

In conducting project evaluations there are often times when data are not  available and where standard methodologies are not always appropriate or sufficient. In some cases, there can be benefit in applying Systematic Social Observation (SSO) to gain an understanding of how a project is working. This paper explores the use of simple forms of SSO as an evaluation method in such circumstances. Based on case studies from the UK involving evaluating the impact of changes in alcohol licensing laws and evaluating the impact of environmental clean-up campaigns, this paper explores design issues, problems experienced by fieldworkers and the benefits to be gained from employing SSO.