We want to bring you up to date on the current status of the Technology Evaluation Project (TEP).
We are progressing toward release of the first set of evaluation tools early this Fall. As we
indicated in an earlier report, our objective has been to develop common evaluation tools and
methodologies for data collection in the categories of technological activities that will be most
useful for the TIG 2001 grantees. Based on a review of the 2001 TIG Grant Applications and
Evaluation Plans, feedback from the TEP Working Group and the TEP Advisory Group, and the
information we received from the Grantee E-Survey, we have identified those categories and are
proceeding to develop evaluation designs and instruments appropriate for them.
We want to report to you the seven categories we have chosen as being appropriate for our focus.
We chose them either because they involve initiatives that a large number of grants have undertaken
or because they are projects that we surmise may be replicated by a number of others in the next and
future round of TIG grants.
The seven categories are:
Service #1: Website-based Information Self-Help Materials and Pro Se Resources
Grant projects that build websites to provide access to a broad range of materials, resources
and tools to strengthen clients’ knowledge of the legal system, legal processes, their legal rights
and self-help resources as well as how to gain access to legal services.
Service #2: Website-Based Referrals
For grant projects that build websites that provide information to users about other services and
that facilitate referrals for legal advice or representation when client-focused tools and resources
are insufficient to meet the legal need.
Service #3: Website-Based Information Exchange among Attorneys and Service Providers
Grant projects that build websites to provide support to and increase communication among attorneys
and other advocates working in legal services. This support may include brief and pleadings banks,
resource libraries, on-line forms, calendars, listservs, discussion groups, and news services
(i.e., notification of regulatory or legal changes affecting clients of legal services).
Service #4: Website-Based Support for Pro Bono Attorneys
Grant projects that build websites to recruit and support a cadre of pro bono attorneys. This
support can include case referral mechanisms, legal resources and support as described in Service
#3 (above), and case tracking.
Service #5: Information & Self-Help Materials through Virtual Law Offices and Video
Conferencing
Grant projects that build virtual offices or use videoconferencing to provide access to a broad
range of materials, resources and tools that will strengthen clients’ and organizations’ knowledge
of the legal system, legal processes and legal rights.
Service #6: Direct Representation and Legal Advice through Virtual Law Offices and
Videoconferencing
Grant projects that build virtual offices or use video conferencing to provide clients with direct
representation and legal support from legal services and pro bono advocates.
Service #7: Case Management Software
Grant projects that use and adapt integrated software to provide legal staff with a comprehensive
system for managing client files, calendars, time entries, contacts, documents, phone calls, e-mails,
messages, legal research, dockets and conflict checks.
The Technology Evaluation Development Team will continue to work on building the tools and
instruments for these seven services over the next six months. The methodology for each area will
include tools to address both process evaluation and outcomes evaluation and will require stages
of development, testing and revision. We are currently developing the methodology for the web site
projects and anticipate the tools to be ready for distribution by October, 2002.
The next product of the Technology Evaluation Development Team will be the evaluation guidelines.
These guidelines are designed to provide guidance for legal services programs about how to evaluate
their technology projects. The guidelines will help current TIG grantees consider what is necessary
for effective evaluation of technology efforts and related aspects of service delivery. We
anticipate the evaluation guidelines to be ready for distribution by late Summer.
Thanks. We look forward to further interaction with you.
John Tull, Project Manager, Technology Evaluation Project
Karen Horsch, Senior Associate, Innovation Network, Inc.(InnoNet)
Donna Socha, Senior Consultant, Summit Collaborative
