I will answer my own question by recounting some of my experiences working (while on leave from my job) on a political campaign for the first time in my life. I just finished 30 consecutive days of work in Florida as a volunteer for the Obama re-election campaign. I learned a great deal with my view from street level — going door to door to encourage supposed Obama supporters to vote. I recorded data after visiting each residence: Did I talk with someone? Was the person an Obama supporter? Did the person plan to vote early or on election day? In essence, I collected data that tested the support prediction algorithms of the most scientifically sophisticated campaign in history. As we moved closer to the start of voting, I visited only supposed Obama supporters who had not always voted in the past. These were the crucial individuals to motivate to show up to vote (only 58% of eligible voters actually voted in the 2012 election). At least in Florida the campaign could determine later who actually showed up to vote. Some of us volunteers may have had different scripts to use when interacting with these individuals; some of us may have left different types of notes when no one was at home. If the campaign, which was oriented toward experimental testing of its methods, randomly assigned us to use one method or another, the campaign could later statistically analyze which methods worked best to get out the vote. That information could prove valuable in future elections. I felt happy that the campaign evaluated carefully its methods. What is good for medicine and clinical psychology is good for all important endeavors. I have recently published an article about the need for psychology-education accrediting agencies to collect data to test whether their standards lead to anything of value to students and society. On an individual level, I look closely at student evaluations of my teaching and at the number of articles I publish each year. These numbers give me useful (but not perfect) information about how I am doing. My university students can look at their grades and at their level of success in applying what they learn to accomplish important outcomes for themselves or others.

What outcome data do you collect to see how you are doing? Does the information help you get to where you are going?

For more information about data collection during the campaign and how that helped Obama win, see http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2012/11/jim_messina_offers_his_tips_on_how_barack_obama_s_campaign_team_beat_mitt.html.

For a copy of my article about why psychology-education standards ought to be based on evidence rather than speculation, see me an email at jmalouff@une.edu.

John Malouff, PhD, JD
Assoc Prof of Psychology