ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses how GLAM practitioners can use storytelling in programme and service evaluation. Storytelling is a qualitative approach that seeks to elicit users’ perspectives and experiences of programmes, initiatives, projects and services in story format. The nature of storytelling is described, and a case is made for including it alongside other, more conventional, quantitative approaches, suggesting that it can provide GLAM organisations with a rich, nuanced, contextualised picture of the impact of programmes on their individual users and communities. The benefits and challenges of storytelling for evaluation are explained, noting that while storytelling can increase our understanding of the experiences of all stakeholders and can be an effective way to democratise evaluation, those using these techniques in a GLAM context may face questions about the representativeness of accounts. The time-consuming nature of gathering, interpreting and presenting stories is also noted. Techniques for gathering stories from participants are outlined and explained, including methods used within individual and group interviews, such as the Critical Incident Technique and Most Significant Change technique. Points to consider when analysing and presenting stories are highlighted and the chapter ends with a discussion and examples of the application of storytelling and its related techniques in the GLAM sector.
