What we do
Coutts J&R provides you with industry leading expertise and tools to collect, interpret and effectively use information to make the best decisions for your project and program. Our expertise is in undertaking reviews, establishing evaluation frameworks, planning and undertaking monitoring and evaluation activities (or mentoring your staff as they undertake the process) and measuring and reporting on impact. Our challenge is to make sure that you have the information you need to make the most informed decisions and meet your reporting requirements.
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Monitoring, Evaluation & Reviews
| M&E planning & frameworks | |
| Program & project evaluations | |
| M&E management & support | |
| Reviews | |
| Benefit Cost Analysis |
Data Management & Reporting
| Planning and managing data collation | |
| Database development and support (YourDATA) | |
| Data analysis and reporting |
Communication Evaluation
| Evaluation plans for communication programs | |
| Defining objectives and KPIs | |
| Reviews of communication programs |
News Updates
- Maximising impact from Research, Development and Extension Projects
We have been working over the last 3 years in a project called ‘Research for Impact’ with John James (Enablers of Change) and Denise Bewsell (Scarletti). The project followed preliminary research where we sought to pull together those principles that had been found in practice to maximise the usefulness, use and benefits of research. This was funded by a number of Research & Development Organisations and others: Hort Innovation, Cotton Research and Development Corporation, Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Grains Research and Development Corporation, Wine Australia, Dairy Australia, AgriFutures, LiveCorp, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, and the University of Melbourne’s Drought and Innovation Hub.
As part of this project, the research team worked across the RDCs and nominated projects to assist in putting these principles into practice and learn from this to guide others in doing so in their projects. There were lessons from the study for both research funders and those applying for and undertaking funded projects.
Hort Innovation now has the Final Report online as well as a legacy document – Maximising Impact Handbook – which captures the practical use of these principles and examples from their use in the project. This handbook captures much of the latest understanding of how best to engage and co-design with potential users and stakeholders to maximise the value of research outputs. The final report and legacy document can be accessed on: https://www.horticulture.com.au/Information-Hub/Our-Projects/Project-Reports/LP22001
- SNSW Hub – Tracking Hub progress and strengthening impact
Coutts J&R have been working with the SNSW Hub in undertaking their Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL). The success of this collaboration has been highlighted in a SNSW Hub case study.
- What Constitutes Practice Change
Two-page document developed by Jeff Coutts and the DCAP project on ‘What constitutes Practice Change’. It is intended to be useful in articulating the different practice change levels, definitions of practice change and provide helpful examples in the M&E context of the DCAP project.
Latest Post
- Impact and Legacy
I had a chance to step back and reflect on what was happening in extension and evaluation while Robyn and I took an extended trip to Egypt and the Mediterranean earlier this year. It was the incredible antiquities that you find in this hub of ancient and modern civilisations that leave you breathless – from pyramids to excavated cities of Pompei and Ephesus to leaning towers and the Roman Colosseum – vineyards that have been passed through the generations and old city walls and castles. It’s about legacy! Our business is to evaluate projects and programs so we can learn …continue reading → Impact and Legacy - And that’s a wrap for 2025It’s been a minute since we posted a news update! The last year has been super busy at Coutts J&R and we’ve had many projects on the go. So, to round the year off, I thought it would be an idea for us to practice what we preach and share some reflections about 2025 and what we think is important to think about for 2026. What were your highlights (can be work or anything else!)? Ben – Going to Wagga with Jeff and meeting the CSU team working on the Long Term Field Trial and in the Southern NSW Hub …continue reading → And that’s a wrap for 2025
- My three key takeaways from evokeAG. 2025
This week I attended evokeAG. 2025 in Brisbane and it was inspiring to see all the different types of technology being developed for, and by, the agriculture sector. As a way to reflect (and to practice what we preach in evaluation!) I thought I would share my three key takeaways from the two days.