Bricolage evaluation design

A bricolage evaluation design flexibly combines and adapts various data collection and analysis methods, approaches, and conceptual and value frameworks to suit the specific context of the evaluation.

The concept of ‘bricolage’ comes originally from the French word ‘bricoler’ meaning to tinker or do odd jobs and was used by the Anthropologist Clause Levi-Strauss in 1966 to refer to ‘making the most of available resources’ when undertaking research. More recently, Joe Kincheloe described the appropriateness of bricolage for complexity-informed research, where research methods were actively constructed and adapted from available tools rather than simply applying existing tools.

Bricolage goes beyond the notion of mixing methods, or mixed-methods, which is focused on combining different types of data. It includes combining elements from different paradigms and enquiry traditions, and adapting methods and tools as needed. It includes attention to the context of the evaluation in terms of the nature of what is being evaluated and its setting, and the nature of the evaluation and its questions and purposes. Bricolage is more likely to be used in an emergent evaluation design where initial findings and understandings can be used to inform subsequent design.

Advice for choosing this method

This method can be appropriate when primary intended users understand the bricolage design’s nature and purpose and find it appropriate, credible, and useful.

Advice for using this method

The following advice comes from Michael Quinn Patton, as reported by Meg Hargreaves (2021):

“While the nature of bricolage precludes the use of a standard procedure or “how-to” manual, Michael Patton has developed a customized set of bricolage operating principles to guide the use of this approach (M. Q. Patton, personal communication, October 6, 2020).

  • Base bricolage on a thoughtful situation analysis that illuminates the context within which bricolage will occur.
  • Ensure that primary intended users understand the bricolage design’s nature and purpose and find it appropriate, credible, and useful.
  • Be transparent about and document the decision processes involved in what is included in the bricolage and why, what was excluded, and why, including time and resource constraints.
  • Ensure that the bricolage design is consistent with evaluation’s professional standards (Joint Committee) and principles (AEA).
  • Reflect on and report the strengths and weaknesses of the bricolage process and results.”

Resources

Guides

  • Causal Pathways introductory session: How do I mix and combine methods?

    This recording of a 60 minute webinar by Marina Apgar and Thomas Aston discusses ways of combining different methods, the value of a bricolage evaluation design and different ways of thinking about rigour in evaluation.

  • The art and craft of bricolage in evaluation

    This CDI Practice Paper makes the case for ‘bricolage’ in complexity-aware and qualitative evaluation methods. It provides a framework based on a review of 33 methods to support evaluators to be more intentional about bricolage and to combine the component parts of relevant methods more effectively. It discusses two cases from practice to illustrate the value added of taking a more intentional approach. It further argues that navigating different forms of power is a critical skill for bricolage, and that doing so can help to ensure rigour.

  • Bricolage methods principle

    This resource explains one of the principles underpinning Blue Marble Evaluation - "Conduct utilization-focused evaluations incorporating Blue Marble principles to match methods to the evaluation situation".

    It explains "There can be no Blue Marble methods toolbox, a popular metaphor for evaluators offering a limited and definitive set of 'tools'. Context matters in designing evaluations. Intended purposes and uses matter, as does identifying and working with primary intended users. Standardization is anathema; customization and contextualization rule."

Aston, T. & Apgar, M. (2022). The Art and Craft of Bricolage in Evaluation. CDI Practice Paper 24, Brighton: Institute of Development Studies, DOI: 10.19088/IDS.2022.068

Hargreaves, M. (2021). Bricolage: A pluralistic approach to evaluating human ecosystem initiatives. New Directions for Evaluation, 2021(170), 113-124.

Kincheloe, J. (2005). On to the next level: Continuing the conceptualization of the bricolage. Qualitative Inquiry, 11(3), 323–350.

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