Everyone we interviewed said that becoming more deliberate and focused about working towards a CIPMS was a
good thing.
ALSO ASK YOURSELF “WHAT DO WE WANT TO KNOW?” For example, what do your IMS numbers mean? It’s not just about collecting data,
it’s about using it to improve your programming.
GET ORGANIZED. Set up a system and use it. Try coloured file folders, binders, an accordion file or whatever works for you.
You can file by month, by referral source or by report type, but stay consistent. With time, the system will become second nature. (Note: many
practitioners report that colour coding is very helpful!)
COLLECT DATA AS YOU GO. Don’t wait until the end of the year and try to gather it then. Ongoing data collection becomes
a good habit and takes less work than trying to track what happened months ago. What might seem like a lot of work at first may well end up saving
you time later.
START SMALL. Set up targets and data collection processes that are manageable. As you become comfortable with the process, you
can take on bigger challenges. You don’t have to measure everything all at once or even every year. Set priorities and work towards them.
Remember the CIPMS cycle!
KEEP IT MANAGEABLE FOR YOUR AGENCY. Achieving a fully functioning CIPMS will happen at different times depending on where an
agency is starting from, number of staff, number of learners, etc. Remember that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach or set of
expectations.
USE A TEAM APPROACH. Planning and evaluating isn’t just one person’s responsibility. Board members, staff, learners
and volunteers can all be involved. Everyone needs to be on board and understand the benefits of a CIPMS.
REVIEW PROGRESS REGULARLY. It is easier to make small adjustments than large ones. Adjust your plan accordingly. Respond to issues.
It’s not enough to just document issues, you need to take action. If something isn’t working, you don’t have to wait until a specific
date to make changes — adjust and adapt as you go.
SET TARGET DATES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. Do not try to start/finish everything on the same date or the workload can become overwhelming.
You can be at different points in the CIPMS cycle for different targets. Some targets naturally lend themselves to a particular timeline, such as
attendance which traditionally increases in the fall and decreases in the summer.
DOCUMENT. No one can remember everything. Do not document more than you need, but use what you document. Remember to document the
smaller decisions or actions that are taken; they are just as important as the larger ones.
IT IS WORTH IT! Everyone we interviewed said that becoming more deliberate and focused about working towards a CIPMS was a good
thing.