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  • The development and utility of a program theory: Lessons from an evaluation

    This article, written by Tim Clement and Christine Bigby, looks at the use and development of program theory in human service organisations.
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  • Storyboard Logic Models Activity

    This worksheet by the Action Evaluation Collective gives a steps by step run down of how to use storyboards to engage people in telling their stories. It's focus is on working with and engaging young people in a participatory process.
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  • Program Evaluation: a Plain English Guide

    This 11-step guide defines program evaluation, what it is used for, the different types and when they should be used. Also covered is how to plan a program evaluation, monitor performance, communicate findings, deliver&n
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  • Discussion Paper: Innovations in Monitoring and Evaluation

    This discussion paper produced by the United Nations Development Programme discusses various innovations that are occurring in M&E, and the advantages and disadvantages of these methods.
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  • Purposeful program theory: Effective use of theories of change and logic models

    This book, by Sue Funnell and Patricia Rogers, discusses ways of developing, representing and using programme theory and theories of change in different ways to suit the particular situation.
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  • What are some methods and processes to help stakeholders articulate how they think a program works? (AES17 co-creation challenge #1)

    The material from BetterEvaluation comes from a combination of curating existing material and co-creating new material.  This blog is part of an ongoing series about material that we have co-created with BetterEvaluation users.
    Blog
  • Enhancing program performance with logic models

    Developed by the University of Wisconsin Extension service, this resource provides an introduction to developing and using a particular version of the results chain.
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  • Open space

    Open Space Technology (OST) is a group facilitation approach for small and large gatherings in which a central purpose, issue, or task is addressed, but which begins with a purposeful lack of any formal initial agenda.
    Method
  • World cafe

    The world café is a methodology for hosting group dialogue which emphasizes the power of simple conversation in considering relevant questions and themes.
    Method
  • Theory of change

    This guide, written by Patricia Rogers for UNICEF, looks at the use of theory of change in an impact evaluation.
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  • Outcome harvesting

    Outcome Harvesting collects (“harvests”) evidence of what has changed (“outcomes”) and, working backwards, determines whether and how an intervention has contributed to these changes.
    Approach
  • 52 weeks of BetterEvaluation: Week 16: Identifying and documenting emergent outcomes of a global network

    Global voluntary networks are complex beasts with dynamic and unpredictable actions and interactions. How can we evaluate the results of a network like this? Whose results are we even talking about?
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  • Example outcome journal template

    This template is based on the original Outcome Mapping guidance, incorporating elements from Outcome Harvesting (e.g. significance) and allowing tagging to particular progress markers (rather than listing them all as the original does).
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  • BetterEvaluation FAQ: How do you use program theory for evaluating systems?

    Although it’s sometimes referred to as program theory or program logic, theories of change can be used for interventions at any scale, including policies, whole-of-government initiatives, and systems.
    Blog
  • Using logic models and theories of change better in evaluation

    Many evaluations include a process of developing
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  • Mapping change: Using a theory of change of guide planning and evaluation

    This guide, written by Anne MacKinnon and Natasha Arnott for GrantCraft, describes the process of developing a theory of change to support planning and evaluation.
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  • Causal Pathways introductory session: Outcome harvesting for exploring causal pathways

    This session of the Causal Pathways Symposium 2023, by Carlisle Levine and Hippolyt Pul, introduces outcome harvesting, a method to collect evidence of what has changed and whether and how an intervention has contributed to these changes.
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  • Outcome harvesting

    This 27-page brief, written by Ricardo Wilson-Grau and Heather Britt, introduces the key concepts and approach used by Outcome Harvesting (published by the Ford Foundation in May 2012; revised in Nov 2013).
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  • Cosecha de alcances

    Cosecha de Alcances es una herramienta centrada en la utilización y altamente participativo que permite a evaluadores, donantes y gerentes de proyectos y programas identificar, formular, verificar y dar sentido a los alcances en que han inf
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  • Retrospective 'outcome harvesting': Generating robust insights

    This paper describes the use of the Outcome Harvesting approach to evaluate a global voluntary network.
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  • Discussion note: Complexity aware monitoring

    USAID’s Office of Learning, Evaluation and Research (LER) has produced a Discussion Note: Complexity-Aware Monitoring, intended for those seeking cutting-edge solutions to monitoring complex aspects of strategies and projects.  
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  • Cases in outcome harvesting

    This report from The World Bank documents the pilot of a program that examines the use of outcome harvesting and the Bank's results management approach to understand how change happens in complex environments.
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  • Theory maker

    This free and open-sourced web-based tool was made by Steve Powell as a quick and simple way of creating a theory of change. The information provided was supplied by Steve Powell.
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  • Causal Pathways 2023 Symposium and 2024 introductory sessions

    This series of webinars was first presented at the Causal Pathways Symposium 2023, which focused on "connecting, learning, and building a shared understanding of the evaluation and participatory practices that make causal pathways more visible"
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  • Focus groups

    A focus group is a type of group interview designed to explore peoples attitudes.
    Method