We worked with Access and SIB to evaluate their multi-year Enterprise Development Programme, supporting 325+ charities and social enterprises - across six sectors - to strengthen governance, leadership, enterprise resilience, and social impact.

Through our evaluation of Energise Manchester, a pilot action research project funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, we have seen how working with trusted community networks empowers residents, builds trust, and makes energy-saving advice and practical improvements accessible to all.

Shortwork partnered with Camden Council to improve community engagement for street upgrades. Over 170 Camden residents engaged in community research sessions to co-design practical recommendations to build trust, improve accessibility, and boost participation.

Discover how our multi-year evaluation of the Heritage Lottery-funded Beverley Road THS captured the impact of an ambitious £1.6 million project to restore buildings, enhance public spaces, and celebrate community heritage in Hull.

Shortwork worked with Petworth House and the National Trust to engage 676 local participants through participatory action research, providing insights to shape more inclusive and meaningful audience engagement and programming.

We worked with the Design Council, DLUHC and the Office for Place to evaluate the Design Code Pathfinder Programme, producing a detailed evaluation report, practical roadmap and case studies to guide others through setting up, developing and implementing local design codes.

Shortwork collaborated with the Design Council to design an overarching impact framework and toolkit, consolidating monitoring and evaluation across the organisation. The framework supports reflection, learning, and evidence-based decision-making while enabling flexibility for project-specific evaluation.

Through our work with the Design Council and Network Rail, we’ve seen how reflection, collaboration, and design-led learning can equip engineers and project managers to create a more inclusive, sustainable, and passenger-focused railway.

We evaluated ExploreStation, Network Rail’s largest-ever public engagement and co-design programme. Led by the Design Council with partners Commonplace, Digital Urban, and The Glass-House, it engaged over 29,000 people across Britain to shape the new HUB Station design. Our evaluation captured the impact, learning, and legacy of this groundbreaking approach to national infrastructure engagement.

Discover how Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) improves building design, wellbeing, and sustainability. Produced with RIBA, University of Reading, and Flora Samuel, this guide showcases case studies, practical tools, and insights for architects to measure and communicate the value of their work.

A RIBA guide detailing principles, methods, and case studies for effective community engagement in architectural projects, helping architects involve local communities meaningfully in design and planning.