How was the Tool developed?

The Change tool was developed by WWF and CAG Consultants Ltd over a 6 year period. Initially, we worked with Bristol City Council and Surrey County Council to collaboratively develop a tool to be used in use in research programme to answer the question; ‘how and when those commuting engagement change people's behaviour to support sustainable lifestyles?’ 

This initial process took in the region of 18 months, in which time various different types of measuring instruments were the tried and tested. During this stage we found that more traditional quantitative methods of evaluating behaviour change were not effective within the context of measuring behaviour change towards sustainable lifestyles.

This lack of effectiveness of traditional tools was revealed through a difference between what we were recording using the evaluation instruments and what was emerging through other streams of evaluation data within projects. For example, there was a not insignificant difference between what the tool was showing in terms of quantity of change and the level of change that participants were reporting and project officers were observing. This problem suggested an evaluation instrument that was less dependent on ‘counting’ behaviours was required.

The initial too was measuring multiple changes, but were relying on a shopping basket of indicators of a few changes.  And we found that when those few small changes in the shopping basket did not take place a low change score was recorded.  However, other changes taking place elsewhere was missed. For example we could ask if people turn the tap off while cleaning the teeth to save water, and demonstrate no change in this area. When at the same time the same person has bought a new water friendly washing machine and switched to showers instead of baths and therefore substantially reduced their water use. This issue suggested that a tool that looked at macro-level behaviours was required.

However, we were also very aware during the development that system developed should not be onerous to a project or intrude upon a participant’s time or lifestyle. At the time of the Tool's early development we were also very committed to not producing a tool that, in order to be successful, would involve a behaviour change in itself.

Following this review stage, we undertook further collaborative development with two more local authority areas, Durham and Lewes.  In this case we were testing the possibility of using a tool based on the behaviour change cycle. 

Finally, we undertook a further stage of piloting and retesting to place with more local authorities to ensure that the Tool and its questions worked appropriately.

During the entire process, WWF UK and CAG Consultants Ltd frequently, paused for thought and consulted with the wider professional network.  This included a small group of critical friends, and a series of workshops to which we invited academics, policymakers and practitioners.

It was at this point that NESTA saw the wider application of the tool, outside the WWF and CAG Consultants Ltd’s work.  Following using the tool to evaluate their Big Green Challenge Fund programme, NESTA funded the further development of the Tool with the aim of turning it into an evaluation tool that could be used by anyone.

This stage of development focused on changing the tool into a free online resource that also responded to some of the practical issues that had emerged in the tool is used when applied outside WWF and CAG Consultants Ltd. Of these key practical issues the most important one, was how projects can easily and independently administer the Tool through quality communications and stakeholder management. This has been addressed through software solutions.