Sport England is aiming to increase participation in physical activity through a new online framework.
The framework makes it easier for national and local sports groups to monitor their activities.
Sport England’s new strategy ‘Towards an Active Nation’ seeks to increase the number of people who engage in sport and physical activity to boost wider benefits from physical and mental wellbeing to individual, community and economic development.
Macclesfield-based user experience agency Sigma developed a microsite for the evaluation framework, with the idea being that evaluation is needed to show where the impact on these wider outcomes is greatest.
“Ensuring that investment is being used efficiently and effectively is a vital aspect of what we do and this new platform will make the process of tracking and monitoring investment better and more transparent,” said Darcy Hare, head of research & evaluation at Sport England.
“Improving evaluation by providing easier and more accessible guidance is helping us focus funding better.
“Sigma’s team has done a brilliant job helping us make sure every penny spent is being used in the best possible way.”
Hilary Stephenson, managing director at Sigma, said: “The overall aim of this project was to provide sports groups and organisations with a portal to access guidance on how to use the new evaluation framework in an engaging and interactive way.
“But it was vital that the information was provided in a way that was easily accessible for all users and that it was compliant with all regulations relating to online accessibility.
“Working closely with Sport England we were able to produce the kind of platform that will make it easier for groups receiving funding to monitor and evaluate investment outcomes.
“To make sure the new website hit the ground running we carried out comprehensive user engagement and worked with Sport England’s key partners and stakeholders to ensure it met the requirements of the project.”