Evidence-to-Action (E2A) at DOL

For evidence to improve lives, it must reach, be understood, and be applied by practitioners. The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Evidence-to-Action (E2A) initiative is finding new ways to support seamless integration of evidence to inform policymaking, program development, and technical assistance efforts across DOL. We know that generating evidence is not enough to improve labor outcomes. We need to make it easy for busy decision-makers to find evidence, learn what it means, use it and champion its use to others. DOL’s goal is to find effective ways of moving users along this path of evidence adoption.

A flow chart with separate sections for each word Awareness, Consideration, Review, Application, Championship, has a running person on the left and a running person on the right with a megaphone.

DOL’s Chief Evaluation Office is integrating this process into its ongoing partnerships with agencies across DOL. The Evidence-to-Action Portfolio Project & Process Study describes its current investment in collaboration with the Employment Training Administration (ETA).

Partnerships

The E2A initiative supports the translation and synthesis of rigorous evidence to develop actionable insights that can inform policymaking, program development, and other continuous improvement efforts across DOL. Working with agencies to understand the ways practitioners use evidence to inform their work, the E2A project team then designs and tests approaches for relevant evidence dissemination and translation.

Process for E2A the first step is Discover needs and journeys, the second step is Develop new E2A models, the third step is Provide TA for sustained adoption, the fourth step is Learn what works, and the final step is Build capacity for E2A.

Products

The E2A initiative seeks to develop and highlight effective models for driving evidence use. Explore our growing list of E2A products and resources below.

Registered Apprenticeships

Evidence-informed strategies to inform recruitment and retention of apprentices

Job Training

Exploring evidence and practice in providing equitable job training

Data Access

Workforce data as an equity lever: A summary of emerging evidence and effective practice

Toolkit

In an effort to build capacity and promote adoption of E2A strategies, DOL offers a toolkit that provides general guidance for planning and designing a variety of effective research products.

E2A Tool Kit: Tips for Developing Great Evidence to Action (E2A) Products