Improving the effectiveness of an organization’s monitoring role
The Mole has enabled us to analyze much greater volumes
of information than otherwise possible.
We are able to cover a greater breadth of material. The Mole helps us analyze information in directions that would not be apparent to someone attempting to manually scan large volumes of information.
We now have a much greater understanding of the degree to which EECA submissions influence the public debate on energy efficiency measures.
Comments from Policy Analysts at Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA)
About ECCA
EECA is a Government-funded agency of 45 staff whose role is to encourage, promote and support the uptake of energy efficiency initiatives and new renewable energy in both the private and public sectors (www.eeca.govt.nz).
As part of its agreement with the Government EECA has to provide direct evidence of how its energy efficiency measures are providing organisations with direct commercial benefits.
The Government also requires evidence that EECA’s ideas for improving energy efficiency are being properly disseminated and utilised by the broader public and private sector communities.
The Situation
EECA has to determine how effective it is at effecting change in the community and then report these results back to its Board.
One of the ways to do this is by scanning the huge volume of submissions to Government and identifying the extent to which EECA is mentioned, or an EECA-generated idea is debated and acted upon.
EECA needed to find a cost-effective way to identify:
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When EECA was referred to and in what context.
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Key themes that EECA is interested in.
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Where EECA-originated energy conservation ideas are being discussed and adopted.
These findings could then be reported back to the Board, and ultimately the Minister, to determine the extent to which EECA is delivering on its agreed outputs.
The Solution
After an initial evaluation period, EECA purchased a multi-user license of The Mole Content Analyzer which was distributed to members of its policy team.
The Mole Content Analyzer was able to give an early demonstration of its value during EECA’s role in monitoring the public consultation phase of a project to develop and implement new industry arrangements covering the retail and wholesale electricity markets.
Two members of EECA’s small policy team were required to review hundreds of public submissions and Commerce Commission transcripts (typically hundreds of pages of legally written text generated each day during the hearing process). Given the policy team’s other work demands, a manual review of these documents would not have been possible in the time available.
The Mole Content Analyzer was used to:
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Identify where EECA was quoted and in what context.
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Search for terms (such as “energy efficiency”, “electrical lines losses”), and identify specific areas of interest to EECA.
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Determine who was raising these issues, who was addressing them, and what was accomplished.
Results
Using The Mole Content Analyzer the analysts said they were able to complete the review of the information in a quarter of the time. The Mole Content Analyzer added real value to the review process by providing suggestions that helped to refine searches specifically to match EECA’s perspective. This enabled a more detailed analysis to be conducted in directions that would not otherwise have been thought of.
A more extensive coverage of the information was possible using The Mole Content Analyzer. As a result we were more confident in the quality of the information supporting our findings.
