aes26 International Evaluation Conference: Full Schedule

Presenter and chair information page, resources for conference presenters, authors and session chairs.

11:30am ACST

Building your first AI evaluation assistant: From setup to first analysis

Wednesday September 16, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm ACST

Authors: Ethel Karskens (Clear Horizon), Maree Dibella (Clear Horizon)
What participants will learn: This hands-on session teaches evaluators how to configure and use AI assistants for real evaluation tasks. Participants will leave with a working AI tool customised for their own work, whether that's coding interview transcripts, analysing open-ended survey responses, or synthesising progress reports.

Why this skill matters: Most evaluators have experimented with ChatGPT or similar tools, but few have moved beyond ad-hoc prompting to building reusable, reliable AI workflows. The gap between "asking ChatGPT a question" and "using AI as a systematic evaluation tool" is significant. This session bridges that gap by teaching the practical setup skills that turn general-purpose AI into specialized evaluation assistants that produce consistent, auditable outputs.

As AI becomes standard in evaluation practice, knowing how to configure these tools properly - with the right instructions, quality controls, and workflow integration - is becoming a core professional capability. This session responds directly to evaluators' need for practical AI implementation skills, not just conceptual understanding.

How we'll teach the skill:
Minutes 0-5: Quick orientation - what makes an AI "assistant" different from a chatbot
Minutes 5-15: Live demonstration - the facilitator builds an assistant for interview coding from scratch, narrating decisions
Minutes 15-40: Guided hands-on practice -participants configure their own assistant for a task they choose (interview coding, survey analysis, or report summarisation), using either sample data provided or their own files
Minutes 40-50: Group debrief -participants share one success and one challenge; facilitator troubleshoots common issues

How participants will engage: Participants will work on their own laptops throughout the session, following a structured build process with real-time facilitator support. They'll leave with a configured tool, a workflow template, and practical troubleshooting strategies they can apply immediately in their work.

Chair

Lucy Walker

Senior Consultant, Nation Partners

Lucy is an emerging evaluator who has worked in research and evaluation for the past 7 years. She has experience working across Victorian state government, private sector consulting and research institutions. Lucy is an interdisciplinary practitioner, with a strong background in environmental... Read More →

Speakers

Ethel Karskens

Head Of Digital, Clear Horizon

I lead the data and insights strategy of Clear Horizon. This includes dashboard development and other data solutions to create insights for our clients.
I am interested in innovation, data for good, and creating a data-driven culture in organisations.

Maree Dibella

Wednesday September 16, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm ACST
Rooms 3+4 Stokes Hill Rd, Darwin City NT, Australia

Traditional and new ways

Format Skill building
Audience Level Foundational, Intermediate
Industry Information media and telecommunications
ID 315

aes26 International Evaluation Conference

11:30am ACST

Lucy Walker

Ethel Karskens

Maree Dibella

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