The EoH 2.0 Assessment Tools

This section will guide you through the 12 assessment tools that make up EoH 2.0. It describes the purpose of each tool, the type of information and analysis required and the specific tasks to be completed. Each tool includes one or more worksheets, with either a set of guiding questions or a structured template to help you summarize information and findings about a particular management element.

The guidance was developed with particular reference to people who may never have undertaken a management effectiveness assessment before, either by using the original EoH Toolkit or other management effectiveness methodologies. Even if you are familiar with management effectiveness assessments, it is important that you carefully read the guidance before starting, as EoH 2.0 includes aspects that are covered in greater detail than in other methodologies. Most importantly, you should not begin to complete the worksheets without having the necessary understanding of both the purpose of each tool and the relationships between them.

At the beginning of the guidance for each tool, you will find its specific objectives and some background information explaining how the tool is structured. The guidance then provides an overview on how to complete the worksheet(s) associated with the tool. The worksheets are designed to document critical information about the different elements of the management system, summarize the results of your discussions and help you track progress over time by serving as a baseline for future assessments.

For worksheets that mainly require information, you will also find a set of reflection questions to help you reach conclusions and ensure that you do not miss important points. Worksheets structured as questionnaires already offer reflection questions – for these, you should draw conclusions from your comments in the last column of the worksheet. It is also important to consider connections between the different questions. These final discussions are a critical part of the assessment exercise, so make sure to allocate sufficient time and energy to do them well.

Remember that the worksheets can be adapted if some of the elements do not apply or are not suited to the type of World Heritage property or heritage place you are working with. However, such adaptations should be clearly recorded and justified, and should not change the purpose of the tool. There is space at the end of every worksheet for you to summarize the key issues identified during discussions, draw conclusions and define follow-up recommendations and actions.

Using the Toolkit will require a great deal of engagement from all those involved. While this may sound challenging at first, assessing how well your World Heritage property or other heritage place is being managed is critical if you want to maintain its Outstanding Universal Value and other important values in the long term. There are no shortcuts to deep, reflective and collective thinking. Treating the whole process as a listening and learning opportunity, rather than a technical exercise, will lead to the best results.