Menu

Evaluation-based methods and approaches

Evaluation is an important part of project management that can link planning and assessment
(c) Can Stock Photo / z_amir

Evaluation is an essential component of project management, linking planning and assessment to inform decision-making and enhance impact. Effective evaluation ensures that interventions are relevant, efficient, and achieving their intended outcomes. With a variety of methods available, it is important to choose approaches that align with project goals, stakeholder needs, and the complexity of the issues being addressed.

Evaluation approaches provide different ways to think about, design, and conduct evaluation efforts. Some approaches help solve problems, others refine and build on existing methods, while others explore how different tools can be combined to provide deeper insights. This page begins with annotated links to a range of evaluative approaches, tools, and methodologies. These include participatory and complexity-aware methods that help capture diverse perspectives and emerging changes. The second section links to portals and journal sites that provide resources and best practices in monitoring and evaluation (M&E). Additional Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation resources can be found via the site index above.

Method guides


Evaluation Checklists Web site
This site provides evaluation specialists and users with refereed checklists for designing, budgeting, contracting, staffing, managing, and assessing evaluations of programs, personnel, students, and other evaluands; collecting, analyzing, and reporting evaluation information; and determining merit, worth, and significance. Each checklist is a distillation of valuable lessons learned from practice.


A Field Guide to Ripple Effects Mapping
This participatory data collection method is designed to capture the impact of complex programs and collaborative processes. Well-suited for evaluating group-focused efforts, Ripple Effects Mapping involves aspects of Appreciative Inquiry, mind mapping, facilitated discussion, and qualitative data analysis. As the REM process unfolds, the intended and unintended impacts of participant efforts are visually displayed in a way that encourages discussion and engagement.


Outcome Mapping Learning Community
Outcome mapping (OM) is a methodology for planning and assessing development programming that is oriented towards change and social transformation. OM provides a set of tools to design and gather information on the outcomes, defined as behavioural changes, of the change process. OM helps a project or program learn about its influence on the progression of change in their direct partners, and therefore helps those in the assessment process think more systematically and pragmatically about what they are doing and to adaptively manage variations in strategies to bring about desired outcomes.


Making sense of complexity: Using sensemaker as a research tool
This 2019 paper by Van der Merwe and colleagues provides an introduction to guide researchers in choosing when to use SenseMaker and to facilitate understanding of its execution and limitations. The Cognitive Edge SenseMaker® tool is one method for capturing and making sense of people’s attitudes, perceptions, and experiences. It is used for monitoring and evaluation; mapping ideas, mind-sets, and attitudes; and detecting trends and weak signals.


RCA Community of Practice
This link leads to the website of the RCA Community of Practice. The Reality Check Approach (RCA) is a qualitative research approach involving RCA trained researchers living with people in their own homes and sharing in their everyday lives. The intention is to have unmediated conversations, observations, and experiences with people (in their own space and time) as they go about their daily lives. It is primarily immersive research based on the principles of ethnography but its narrower focus (on relevance, usability, for example) and the short time for immersions distinguish it from ethnography.


The Value for Investment approach
The Value for Investment approach was developed by Julian King and colleagues to bring clarity to assessing value for money. Value for Investment brings together multiple values (e.g. social, cultural, environmental and economic) and multiple sources of evidence (qualitative and quantitative) to gain a nuanced understanding of program costs, processes, consequences and value.


The ‘Most Significant Change’ (MSC) Technique: A Guide to Its Use
This 2005 guide by Rick Davies and Jess Dart outlines MSC as a form of participatory monitoring and evaluation. It is participatory because many project stakeholders are involved both in deciding the sorts of changes to be recorded and in analysing the data collected. Essentially, the process involves the collection of significant change (SC) stories emanating from the field level and the systematic selection of the most significant of these stories by panels of designated stakeholders or staff.  It contributes to evaluation because it provides data on impact and outcomes that can be used to help assess the performance of the program as a whole.


Portals and journals


BetterEvaluation
An international collaboration to improve evaluation practice and theory by sharing information about options (methods or tools) and approaches. The site aims to guide you through the rapidly expanding range of choices available to you when planning and designing evaluation activities. With BetterEvaluation you can find and discover options and useful resources, share your experiences and learn with peers.


Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation
The Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation is published three times a year by the Canadian Evaluation Society. The journal seeks to promote the theory and practice of program evaluation. To this end, CJPE publishes full-length articles on all aspects of the theory and practice of evaluation and shorter Evaluation Practice Notes which share practical knowledge, experiences and lessons learned. The journal has a particular interest in articles reporting original empirical research on evaluation. CJPE is a completely bilingual journal, publishing in both English and French. Readership includes academics, practitioners and policymakers. CJPE attracts authors and readers internationally.


 

 

Share

Learning for Sustainability services

The LfS site highlights on-line resources for those working with complex issues. It showcases the wide range of activities, skills and processes that collectively support constructive engagement, co-design, adaptation, and reflective practice.

The site framework has been developed through the course of my work and indicated resources are open access and freely available. If you would like further support to explore the implementation of these approaches then Will Allen & Associates can help link you with experienced practitioners.

Popular site resources

Recent Posts

Support this site

Help keep the Learning for Sustainability website running. Your donation supports the ongoing maintenance of this open-access resource, ensuring it remains free for everyone

Translate »