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Journalism Project Management Guide: Chapter 7 Evaluation and Post-Project Analysis
Journalism Project Management Guide: Chapter 7 Evaluation and Post-Project Analysis

Illustration: Louiza Karageorgiou for GIJN

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Project Management: Evaluation and Post-Project Analysis

Publishing a compelling story is not the end of an investigative journalism project, but an opportunity for reflection and growth. This final phase includes critical steps such as project evaluation and post-project analysis, where project managers assess the success of the investigation, learn from challenges and apply those lessons to future work. Often, after the rush of pre-publication preparation and the release of the story, whether in print or broadcast, projects tend to fade away without further reflection. But there is immense value in evaluating the teamwork, processes and quality of the journalism to improve future efforts.

Post-Publication Reflection and Debriefing

Defining the Evaluation Framework

Based on the agreements made during the kick-off and during the project, the project manager organizes and prepares an evaluation meeting upon publication or soon after. For the evaluation session itself: set up a framework of those things that need to be discussed and can be used as a guideline for that meeting.

For example:

  • Choose five major topics that were the most significant in the project or investigation, such as: timing and planning, communication, tools, documentation, and alignment on publication (every project may have their own five topics)
  • Ask the team at the beginning of the meeting what the most important things are to discuss per topic
  • Timebox the topics, for example 30 minutes per topic (that makes the meeting three hours with opening and closing) which may seem very extensive. But a good start (kick-off) and ending (evaluation) will pay off!
  • Make sure that conclusions are written down and shared with the team and documented with the other project documentation

Tips and Tricks

  • Focus on a limited number of topics makes it manageable and relevant.
  • Don’t just choose the topics that have caused the most challenges (in the project, in the team, with sources, with the outlets, etc.), but also think about the topics that have actually helped the team or moved the investigation forward.
  • With only questions about what went well and what could be improved, it becomes a very superficial and general conversation: look for more depth and everyone will learn something.
  • Ask open questions — who, what, where, why, how, etc. This encourages people to share more and therefore you learn more.
  • If the team prefers to break out into subgroups (data, filming, production, for example) during the session on specific topics, provide them with a fill-in template to help focus and capture output
  • By having a drink together, sending a card for their contribution, or handing over a small gift at the end of the session you can celebrate the success with the team in a simple way. This will certainly be appreciated!

Feedback and Reflection

Feedback and reflection are essential for continuous improvement during and after any project. Reflection allows team members to critically assess their work, identifying strengths and areas for growth. It fosters learning from both successes and challenges. Feedback, whether from colleagues, supervisors, or external stakeholders, provides valuable insight that can improve future performance. Constructive feedback helps to address blind spots and encourages open communication. Together, reflection and feedback create a culture of accountability and development, ensuring that individuals and teams evolve, refine their skills, and enhance the quality of their work on future projects.

During the evaluation session, the project manager is not only responsible for setting the topics and timeboxing, but also creating a safe place for everybody to give constructive feedback.

Learning from Challenges

Learning from challenges is important not only for team members, but also for the project manager. Obstacles, whether related to timelines, resources, or team dynamics, offer valuable lessons that can improve the execution of future projects. For the project manager, facing these challenges improves his problem-solving skills, adaptability, and leadership abilities. By analyzing what went wrong and why, the project manager can develop strategies to avoid similar pitfalls in the future. Embracing challenges promotes resilience, innovation and a proactive attitude, turning setbacks into growth opportunities and ultimately leading to better project results and better team performance.

Impact Assessment

Impact assessment is an essential process for understanding the effectiveness and impact of a project, particularly in areas such as investigative journalism. It involves evaluating how well the project has achieved its objectives and the wider impact it has had on its audience, community, policy, or industry. This evaluation goes beyond immediate outputs, such as articles published or events held, to look at long-term outcomes, such as changes in policy, public perception, or organizational behavior.

For an investigative journalism project, for example, an impact assessment would measure not only readership, but also how the story might have influenced legal action, accountability measures, or sparked public debate. Key indicators might include media reach, social media engagement, public official citations, or policy changes. Stakeholder feedback, audience surveys, and metrics from social platforms or media analytics can provide quantitative and qualitative data to assess impact.

Lessons learned from an impact evaluation inform future decision-making, highlighting areas of success and areas for improvement. It helps project managers and teams understand the real-world significance of their work, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and goals are aligned with meaningful outcomes. Ultimately, impact assessments serve as a powerful tool for learning, growth, and validation of a project’s contribution to its intended purpose.

Post-Publication Engagement

The project manager may not always be the person to carry out these tasks, but will oversee the execution and drive progress. In a GIJN webinar on Measuring and Increasing the Effect of Investigative Journalism, a panel of three editors and an impact strategist shared tips like these:

  • Don’t forget to continue promoting your investigation. Make simple videos of your best text revelations.
  • Cross-promote with collaborative partners.
  • Tag key officials on social media, and amplify with audience groups.
  • Track and display your real-world impact.
  • “Bang the drum” with community-focused follow-ups.
  • Keep seeking comment from officials — even if you don’t need the quotes — just to nudge them occasionally

More to read about impact:

Handling Legal and Ethical Concerns

Investigative journalism projects often deal with sensitive issues that can lead to legal challenges or ethical dilemmas, even after publication. Handling these issues properly is essential to protect newsrooms, journalists, and sources involved in the investigation. The project manager may not always be the right person to carry out the actions, but will oversee the execution and drive progress.

Key Legal and Ethical Considerations

  • Post-publication corrections: Despite the best fact-checking efforts, mistakes can happen. The project manager should ensure that any factual errors are corrected swiftly and transparently. Failure to do so can damage reputations and may expose the outlets or team members to legal risks.
  • Legal follow-ups: If the story prompts legal action — whether defamation suits, subpoenas, or government inquiries — the project manager must work closely with legal teams to navigate the situation. Maintaining proper documentation of the investigative process is critical in defending the outlets and the journalists involved.
  • Source protection: Sources, especially whistleblowers or individuals sharing sensitive information, must continue to be protected after the story is published. The project manager should ensure that no post-publication actions compromise source anonymity or safety.

Ethical Considerations 

Publishing sensitive stories raises ethical concerns that require the project manager to work with editorial and legal teams. Key considerations include balancing transparency with privacy, avoiding harm, and ensuring accountability through accurate and fair reporting. Legal and ethical sensitivities, such as the protection of whistleblowers or vulnerable populations, need to be carefully managed. Conflicts of interest should be disclosed and the story must prioritize the public interest over sensationalism.

Pre-publication consultation with affected parties may also be necessary. Working closely with legal teams, the project manager will ensure that the story meets ethical standards while respecting legal boundaries and the public’s right to know.

Documentation and Knowledge Sharing

Documenting and archiving a project is essential to preserve its value and ensure future accessibility. Proper documentation of the project itself includes recording key milestones, decisions, processes, and lessons learned throughout the project. This provides a clear reference for future projects, enabling teams to replicate successes or avoid past mistakes.

Archiving, on the other hand, ensures that all materials — such as research data, designs, reports, and communications —  are systematically stored and organized for easy retrieval. Effective archiving protects the project’s legacy, promotes transparency, and allows others to build on the work. It also serves as a valuable resource for training, evaluation, and future collaboration.

Don’t forget to make agreements with the team members about how long to store the documentation, who is the owner, who can access after publication, whether a backup is needed, and so on.

Continuous Improvement Strategies

The field of investigative journalism is constantly evolving and project managers must therefore be alert to continuous improvement. This requires strategies to integrate lessons learned into future projects, adapt to changes in the media landscape, and stay up to date with innovative research practices.

One way to keep doing that is to attend conferences, participate in peer support networks like Collaborative Managers Group on LinkedIn and Hostwriter, or read books on project management. On the GIJN website, articles and webinars are being shared about the latest developments, subscribe to their newsletter, for example.

Celebration and Awards

After all the hard work, publishing, and evaluating the project, it is time to celebrate. This could involve scheduling a wrap-up meeting online or getting together one more time, such as at a conference that attends. Of course, if you have managed to find a budget for this too, the best thing to do is to wrap it up with the whole team somewhere in person.

Another way to celebrate the completion of the investigation is to submit the publication(s) for an award. As with applying for funds, it is also important to read carefully the conditions that apply. Agree with team members whether they submit these applications from their outlet or whether this goes through the project manager on behalf of the whole team. Make a list of who wants to apply for which awards and keep each other informed, so there are no hard feelings if individuals win something without involving the team: after all, it was a team effort.

Winning an award not only highlights the importance of the team’s work, but also serves as public recognition of a team’s commitment to uncovering the truth and delivering powerful stories. The celebratory moment is shared, recognizing each member’s unique contribution and fostering a deeper sense of achievement. These awards are more than just accolades; they build trust within the community, raise the team’s profile, and can lead to future funding or opportunities.

For the project manager, it’s a personal victory, as well as a balance of leadership, problem solving, and collaboration to see the project through to completion. The celebration, whether modest or grand, is an important moment to pause and reflect on the journey and to acknowledge the teamwork, perseverance, and shared commitment that made the award-winning publication possible. It’s a motivational boost that inspires journalists to strive for future success.


Coco Gubbels profile pictureCoco Gubbels became aware of the need for and added value of project management in investigative journalism a few years ago. As a former freelance investigative journalist and practicing project manager in the corporate world, she noticed how collaborative journalism was maturing, but journalists were still lacking the necessary skills. 

She now combines her passion for investigative journalism and her profession as a project manager in her one-woman organization PM-IJ: Project Management in Investigative Journalism. As a freelance project manager, she coordinates large international investigations, coaches and trains coordinators and mentors cross-border teams. She is the founder of a peer support group on LinkedIn to create a network of collaborative managers to learn and share experiences.

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