Simon Hearn

"How can qualitative researchers collect data during social-distancing measures? Adam Jowett outlines several techniques researchers can use to collect data without face-to-face contact with participants.

International development is fixated with impact. But how do we know we’re all talking about the same thing?

This discussion paper discusses the meaning of 'impact', moving beyond methodological debates to present different perspectives and dimensions that can affect how impact could be framed and evaluated.

Overseas Development Institute (ODI) has published a “10 things to know about evaluation” infographic, in support of the

Simon Hearn continues BetterEvaluation’s theme on the monitoring and evaluation of policy change by suggesting a set of measures to help those struggling to monitor the slippery area of policy influence and advocacy.

BetterEvaluation was privileged to sponsor the Methodological Innovation stream at the African Evaluation Association (AfREA) conference from 3-7 March. What did we learn?

My 2014 evaluation events calendar was launched in earnest this week with a workshop hosted by the US Institute of Medicine focusing on evalua

Timely information about people’s desires could improve policy-makers’ ability to allocate resources to maximum effect and monitor interventions and outcomes.

The report was commissioned to help Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation staff approach the evaluation of their policy-advocacy work.  It details the evolution of M&E in advocacy and policy influence, discusses the theories and approaches

This two part mini-series looks at m

 

I'm sure most of our readers will agree that the goal of evaluation is not the fulfilment of a contract to undertake a study but the improvement in social and environmental conditions:

Whether you are commissioning an evaluation, designing one or implementing one, having - and sharing - a very clear understanding of what is being evaluated is paramount.

One of the most effective ways of learning about the evaluation field is to attend a conference, present your work and interact with other professionals.

As part of developing the BetterEvaluation site, we ran an "Evaluation Challenge" process, inviting people to submit their biggest challenges in evaluation, and then inviting experts to suggest ways to address these.

This report provides a detailed description of an evaluation, written by Judy Oakden, as part of the first BetterEvaluation writeshop process, led by Irene Guijt.

This whitepaper, by Noah Iliinsky, IBM Visualisation Expert, covers the various visual properties of data visualisation and how to appropriately apply them to various types of data.

 

BetterEvaluation is on the ground at the European Evaluation Society 10th Biannual conference in Helsinki this week.

This is an update for our early site users on what's been going on in August. The website is still under development but we are now undertaking a series of tests in anticipation of going live.

NodeXL for Microsoft® Excel® 2007 and 2010 is a free open-source template that makes it easy to explore network graphs. 

Gephi is an open-source software package for visualizing and exploring networks and complex systemsGephi software can be used for: 

Three linked presentations from Jane Davidson, Nan Wehipeihana & Kate McKegg explaining how rubrics can be used to ensure evaluations validly answer evaluative questions. 

This guide from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation was designed to support evaluators engage their stakeholders in the evaluation process.

"This tool kit is aimed at staff in such organisations and presents entry points and references to the wide range of tools and options that have been used to facilitate improved knowledge and learning in the development and humanitarian sec

This manual provides a step by step guide to the process of conducting a social network analysis by using Netdraw which is a free software tool that allows the visualisation of social networks.

Ucinet 6 for Windows is a software package for analyzing and drawing social networks developed by Lin Freeman, Martin Everett and Steve Borgatti.  This software is available for a free 90 day trial period. 

The Point K Learning Center's website of free tools and resources help nonprofits

Influencing and informing policy is the main aim for many development organisations. However, activities directed at policy change are, in general, very hard to monitor and evaluate.

An impact evaluation approach that unpacks an initiative’s theory of change, provides a framework to collect data on immediate, basic changes that lead to longer, more transformative change, and allows for the plausible assessment of the initiative’s contribution to results via ‘boundary partners’.

Appreciative Inquiry is an approach to organisational change which focuses on strengths rather than on weaknesses - quite different to many approaches to evaluation which focus on deficits and problems.

OpenSpaceWorld.org is a global community resource managed by a volunteer webmaster and supported by a number of contributors.

An impact evaluation approach that unpacks an initiative’s theory of change, provides a framework to collect data on immediate, basic changes that lead to longer, more transformative change, and allows for the plausible assessment of the initiative’s contribution to results via ‘boundary partners’.

Appreciative Inquiry is an approach to organisational change which focuses on strengths rather than on weaknesses - quite different to many approaches to evaluation which focus on deficits and problems.