Raising the bar: Improving how to assess evidence quality in evaluating systems-change efforts

This paper proposes a more inclusive, values-driven approach to assessing evidence quality in evaluations of complex systems-change efforts, challenging traditional notions of rigour.

The authors note that there has been "a long-standing debate regarding what counts as rigorous and credible evidence for evaluation". They argue that "Rigor has often been reduced to a discussion of evidence hierarchies, usually focused on the supposed 'gold standard' of randomized control trials and the 'what works' agenda".

To counteract this narrative this paper aims to support organisations to assess evidence quality in systems-change evaluation, and to highlight that "more appropriate, flexible, and inclusive standards for assessing evidence quality in systems-change efforts are achievable."