In 2021, the multi-actor innovation project, LIAISON, outlined a set of new Impact Assessment and Evaluation (IAE) tools co-designed to enhance interactive innovation. The overall aim of this study was to examine a selection of these IAE tools with actors involved in a Thematic Network Project (BovINE) which supported networking of beef advisory services in the EU. The study determined users’ experiences of a selection of these IAE tools, and provides learnings from applying distance evaluation approaches and initiatives in a COVID-19 context, as many challenges related to adapting activities to an online scenario were addressed in this study. A Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach was used in this study with participants from the BovINE Project in three distinct phases. The first phase selected certain IAE tools from the LIAISON Project; the second phase trialled the selected IAE tools; and the third phase determined the experiences/learnings of implementing these IAE tools in a COVID-19 context. A qualitative approach was used to collect experiences, including methods such as observation research, field notes from one-to-one interactions, and a focus group discussion. Reflective practice and peer debriefing were used to guide and inform the PAR process. There were three suitable types of end-users identified, namely network managers (NMs), technical working group leaders (TWGLs) and the project management team (PMT), and shortlists of tools were developed for them. Five IAE tools were trialled in total in this study: two with the full consortium (all of the members actively involved in the BovINE Project) facilitated by the researcher; one self-assessment tool implemented by the researcher; and two IAE tools implemented by the NMs and TWGLs. The IAE tools were reported by the end-users to have a number of benefits, such as the ability to bring structure, focus, discipline and conclusions to interactions with the participants. However, there were also challenges determined, such as the time it takes to prepare for the implementation of the IAE tools, or the amount of personnel needed to implement them (online situation). Some of the online tools such as Mural (digital whiteboard collaboration space) were found to be very beneficial for facilitating participatory exercises. Overall the study concluded that there were many challenges, learnings and implications associated with trialling the IAE tools in the COVID-19 context. The ability of beef farmers to participate in online activities was low, and this negatively affected their level of interaction, which may have been avoided if they were trained to use the online tools prior implementation. That said, there was a strong preference for continuing a large portion of The BovINE Project’s work online. The EU context presented a significant challenge with language, and there was no clear solution identified, other than using simple language that could be easily translated.

2026-03-09 JG: Author's and/or other hand signatures removed for GDPR compliance