An initial formative evaluation of best market solutions

This study, undertaken by SQW Ltd (SQW) for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UK Commission), has evaluated the design and development processes that were used to conceive projects under the Best Market Solutions (BMS) strand of the Growth and Innovation Fund (GIF). The overarching aim of the evaluation was to learn lessons from the way in which project ideas were conceived, and subsequently developed. The specific objectives of the study were to gain insights into: how ideas were conceived and, in particular, where innovation came from; the barriers to, and enablers of, the development and set-up of projects; the nature and extent of employer and other partner engagement in developing proposed solutions; the strength of the underpinning logic chains and routes to impact of the proposed projects; and any early outcomes and successes, recognising the current early stages of all of the projects.