Blogs

Launch of EvalPartners 2017 Innovation Challenges

sparks-superuser's picture 22nd June 2017 by sparks-superuser

As one of the EvalPartners, we'd like to share this EvalPartners announcement about the launch of the 2017 round of "Innovation Challenges". EvalPartners is a global partnership to strengthen national evaluation capacities. In November 2015, it launched the first ever long-term global vision for evaluation, developed during EvalYear 2015 through a participatory process with the global evaluation community.

BetterEvaluation FAQ: How do you use program theory for evaluating systems?

Patricia Rogers's picture 21st June 2017 by Patricia Rogers

In our recent blog post about using theories of change and logic models better in evaluation, we asked BetterEvaluation members to submit a question or challenge that they have in relation to creating or using theory of change for review by the BetterEvaluation team.

BE FAQ: How do I prepare and distribute Request for Proposal and Terms of Reference documents?

Alice Macfarlan's picture 1st June 2017 by Alice Macfarlan

We often get email enquiries asking for advice in preparing the documents used to invite evaluators to prepare proposals to do an evaluation.  These documents have a variety of labels including Request for Proposal (RFP), Terms of Reference (TOR), and Scope of Work (SOW). The advice below focuses on two important aspects in this: writing a good RFP/TOR, and sharing it in ways that will create the best pool of proposals.

Using logic models and theories of change better in evaluation

Patricia Rogers's picture 19th May 2017 by Patricia Rogers

Many evaluations include a process of developing logic models and theories of change – an explanation of how the activities of a program, project, policy, network or event are expected to contribute to particular results in the short-term and longer-term.  They have been used for many years -  versions can be seen in Carol Weiss’ 1972 book "Evaluation research: methods for assessing program effectiveness" -  and they have been mainstreamed in many organisations

Doing Development Differently means Doing Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Differently too

sparks-superuser's picture 7th April 2017 by sparks-superuser

This week, Arnaldo Pellini (Senior Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute and Lead for Learning at the Knowledge Sector Initiative, Indonesia) and Louise Shaxson (Senior Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute) reflect on some of the challenges around monitoring, evaluating and learning (MEL) from adaptive programmes.

Learning about learning in an adaptive programme

sparks-superuser's picture 21st March 2017 by sparks-superuser

Last week, we started our focus on Adaptive Management with a blog post by Patricia Rogers that explored how monitoring and evaluation can support adaptive management. This week, we're continuing this series with a guest blog from Fred Carden and Arnaldo Pellini, in which they discuss what they learned about adaptive management in a major project on developing capacity for evidence-based policy.

Does evaluation need to be done differently to support adaptive management?

Patricia Rogers's picture 15th March 2017 by Patricia Rogers

Adaptive management is usually understood to refer to an iterative process of reviewing and making changes to programmes and projects throughout implementation. Commonly associated with environment and resource management, it's becoming more common in other areas of program management and development. Over the next few weeks, we'll be focusing on the increasing interest in how monitoring and evaluation can support adaptive management. 

What would an evaluation conference look like if it was run by people who know and care about presenting information to support use? (hint - that should be us)

Patricia Rogers's picture 2nd March 2017 by Patricia Rogers

All too often conferences fail to make good use of the experience and knowledge of people attending, with most time spent presenting prepared material that could be better delivered other ways, and not enough time spent on discussions and active learning.  With closing dates for two evaluation conferences fast approaching (the Australasian Evaluation Society and the American Evaluation Association), could you propose something more useful, that would demonstrate how much we know and care about communicating and using information?

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