Research & Analysis Services

Communities, organizations, and agencies are increasingly in need of research, facilitation, project management, and evaluation services. Public Sector Consultants has a broad understanding of policy issues and their effect on both public and private entities. Commonly referred to as a “think tank,” we also are well regarded for our knowledgeable, practical, and timely counsel.

We are known for our objective research on economic, educational, environmental, and health issues. Balanced, in-depth, and insightful, these analyses are clear assessments of issues and their broad implications. Recognizing the perspectives of various audiences is essential to successful development and management. We often use surveys and focus groups to help clients gain valuable insight from people they need to understand.

Results can be presented in reports incorporating narrative, table, and graphic formats: these reports are always reviewed by PSC’s internal editing staff for clarity and style prior to release. In addition to completing final written reports, PSC staff can present findings in person to clients, the public, or the press.

Strategic Counsel

PSC works with clients to help them manage change and improve communication. For many organizations we lead strategic planning meetings geared toward organizational improvement or work with senior staff to plan specific projects. Our knowledge of public policy and our links to policymakers enable us to assess the effect government policy and practice may have on an organization, sector, or project.

Group Facilitation and Consensus Building

Bringing together diverse parties and moving them toward consensus is an integral part of PSC's services. We are well known for working with diverse groups, including business people, community activists, service providers, and government employees. Sometimes the issue is a local one, such as the provision of health care services or a site-specific environmental remediation strategy; sometimes issues are regional or statewide, such as furthering early childhood education across the state or the complex challenges of balancing economic development with maintaining natural resources and environmental quality.

PSC can staff and structure the deliberations of such groups or coalitions, as well as conduct baseline surveys or focus groups and provide for public and stakeholder input.

Public Meetings and Hearings

Closely related to facilitating work groups is facilitating public meetings, public hearings, and public presentations. PSC’s consultants handle all aspects of public meetings, from logistical arrangements for venues to securing experienced public hearing officers and transcribers. In addition, because of the firm’s content expertise, PSC offers clients additional resources to interpret, synthesize, and analyze public input in a policy context.

Survey Research

Written, telephone, and Internet surveys offer the opportunity to obtain a broad response on specific questions of interest to a client. In contrast, clients look to focus groups to assess not only what people think about issues of concern, but why they think as they do.

PSC’s staff and affiliated consultants are experienced in instrument design, critical analysis, and identification of key issues. PSC’s staff can also coordinate instruments and methodologies, allowing clients to survey multiple populations or use a variety of research methods as part of an overall research design. We pride ourselves on

• working with our clients to clarify survey objectives and develop valid and reliable survey instruments;
• using rigorous methodological tools; and
• producing reports and conclusions in language that informed laypersons can understand.

Surveys conducted by PSC are analyzed on their own and, whenever possible, compared with data available from PSC or other research sources.

Program Evaluation

Evaluation research is a method that incorporates different methodologies including survey research, focus groups, face-to-face interviews, and secondary data sources. It can be focused on measuring and managing program development as well as outcomes.

PSC’s clients have used our evaluation services to meet grant monitoring requirements and to better understand the inputs, processes, and outcomes in organizations ranging from a single nonprofit to an entire college. The scope of the evaluation can vary from a simple historical review to a multi-year engagement with ongoing projects.

Why Choose Public Sector Consultants?