Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Impact Evaluation and Measuring Results

Sabine Garbarino and Jeremy Holland, March 2009

Issues paper | Workshop report

There has been a renewed interest in impact evaluation and measuring results in recent years amongst development agencies and donors. This paper reviews the case for promoting and formalising qualitative and combined methods for impact evaluation and measuring results, as part of a broader strategy amongst donors and country partners for tackling the evaluation gap. The accompanying workshop report provides a summary of the January 2009 workshop “Make an Impact: Tackling the “I” and the “D” of Making It Happen”, which aimed to familiarise DFID staff with the use of qualitative methods in impact evaluation and measuring results.

The case for qualitative and combined methods is strong. Qualitative methods have an equal footing in evaluation of development impacts and can generate sophisticated, robust and timely data and analysis. Combining qualitative research with quantitative instruments that have greater breadth of coverage and generalisability can result in better evaluations that make the most of their respective comparative advantages.

EASY-ECO Budapest Conference 2009: Stakeholder Perspectives in Evaluating Sustainable Development (16-18 October 2009)

Date: 16th October, 2009
Venue: Budapest, Hungary

The next event in the EASY-ECO series of trainings and conferences, the EASY-ECO Budapest Conference 2009 “Stakeholder Perspectives in Evaluating Sustainable Development”, will be held 16-18 October 2009 in Budapest, Hungary. While the previous EASY-ECO conferences have dealt with the strategic and project level of SD evaluation and policy learning processes, the EASY-ECO Budapest Conference 2009 focuses on the participatory dimensions of evaluation, in particular by considering key developments in linking Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and stakeholder management to sustainability evaluation in the corporate domain in Europe. With the current Call for Papers, we encourage researchers from all disciplines (including young researchers), professionals from related fields of work, commissioning agents, and evaluation users and other stakeholders to submit abstracts for presentations at the EASY-ECO Budapest Conference 2009 until 15 May 2009.
Continue reading “EASY-ECO Budapest Conference 2009: Stakeholder Perspectives in Evaluating Sustainable Development (16-18 October 2009)”

Review of results-based management at the United Nations

A >Report< of the Office of Internal Oversight Services.  September 2008

“Results-based management at the United Nations has been an administrative chore of little value to accountability and decision-making”

Summary

Results-based management involves focusing on what occurs beyond the process of translating inputs into outputs, namely outcomes (or “expected accomplishments”) to which it seeks to bring accountability. An inherent constraint of results-based management is that a formalistic approach to codifying how to achieve outcomes can stifle the innovation and flexibility required to achieve those outcomes.

The Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) finds that the introduction of results-based management in the Secretariat has been dealt with as an addition to the myriad rules and procedural requirements that govern inputs, activities, monitoring and reporting. It has not been accompanied by any relaxation of the volume, scope or detail of regulatory frameworks pertaining to financial, programmatic and human resource management. For each of these, there are separate and incompatible systems, rules and regulations. Continue reading “Review of results-based management at the United Nations”

Results of the CONFERENCE ON IMPACT EVALUATION HELD IN CAIRO 29 MARCH – 2 APRIL

Further contributions  to this list are welcome (linked documents, or the documents themselves). Please use the Comment facility below, or email rick at mande.co.uk

Webcast: STRENGTHENING COUNTRY-LED M&E SYSTEMS

Date: 15th April 2009
Venue: Internet

Live webcast Knowledge sharing event on: STRENGTHENING COUNTRY-LED M&E SYSTEMS Good practices in using DevInfo

When: Wednesday, April 15th, at 10 AM Washington DC time
Where: in front of your personal or work computer anywhere in the world

UNICEF CEE/CIS, WHO/PAHO and DevInfo, in partnership with IDEAS
(International Development Evaluation Association) and IOCE (International Organization for Cooperation in Evaluation), are pleased to announce the above mentioned event on Wednesday, April 15th, at 10 AM Washington time.

This Event is organized within the monthly Knowledge Sharing Events on Country-led M&E systems. It is free and open to interested people. This conference will enable the sharing of good practices and lessons learned. Global-level speakers will contribute international perspectives. In addition to watching live presentations, you will have the option to ask questions and provide comments.

You may attend virtually from your personal or work computer anywhere in the world. You just need a computer, an internet connection, a microphone and speakers. Continue reading “Webcast: STRENGTHENING COUNTRY-LED M&E SYSTEMS”

IPEN Conference in Kyiv, Ukraine

Date: 24-26 September 2009
Venue: Kyiv, Ukraine

Dear Colleagues,

International Program Evaluation Network (IPEN) welcomes
presentation proposals for its conference to be held in Kyiv,
Ukraine on September 24-26, 2009.

Conference theme is “Program Monitoring and Evaluation Methodology”.

Conference working languages are English, Russian and Ukrainian.

Please visit conference website for more information:
http://eval-net.org/view_konf.php?id=2009
Application forms are available on the website.

Regards,
Alexey Kuzmin

Training: Foundations of Monitoring and Evaluation

Date: 25-28 May, 2009
Venue: Grand Rotana Resort, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

World Bank Institute Evaluation Group will offer a three and a half day
training, “Foundations of Monitoring and Evaluation”

Please go the following website for more details:
www.worldbank.org/wbi/evaluation/training/Egypt2009

Sponsors
World Bank Institute Evaluation Group (WBIEG)
Arab Administrative Development Organization (ARADO)
Professional Diplomas and Certificates Unit (PDCU)

Topics
Introduction to Monitoring and Evaluation
Logic Models and Evaluation Questions
Indicators and Measurement
Research Designs
Data Collection
Reporting Results and Utilization of Evaluations
Managing Monitoring and Evaluation Functions
Continue reading “Training: Foundations of Monitoring and Evaluation”

M&E Newsletters

This is the start of what I hope will be an extended list of M&E newsletters, available by email or by hard copy. Please suggest other newsletters to be included on this list, by using the Comment facility below.

  • MEASURE Evaluation works around the world to empower host-country institutions and people to identify, collect, analyze, and use technically sound information to improve health and well-being. Monitor delivers MEASURE Evaluation news, developments and publications right to your inbox. Subscribe to Monitor or update your email address by sending an email with your name to measure_monitor@unc.edu.

On-line training in Monitoring and Evaluation using Results Based Project Management

Date: 6th May up to 11th June, 2009
Venue: Online

Local Livelihoods will be putting on a live online Results Based Monitoring and Evaluation course to be run for 2 hours a week for six weeks.  Between each weekly session there will be exercises applying the course learning to your own project.  This will be supported by an interactive online database and project managements system that will enable participants to work simultaneously with the trainer with online mentoring.

The cost is £150.00 all you need is a PC with broadband connection.

The technology is extremely simple, just the same as opening websites, no more.

This first course is for participants in Africa and Europe.  There will be a later course for participants from Asia and the Pacific.

For further information please go to:  http://www.uk.locallivelihoods.com/Moduls/WebSite/Page/Default.aspx?Pag_Id=132

Regards
Freer Spreckley
online@locallivelihoods.com

Meeting: Complexity and evaluation

Date: 15th April 2009
Venue: Diana Memorial Fund offices on the South Bank, London

Dear All,

The next event in the ongoing series exploring how complexity is useful
in the aid and development sectors will focus on evaluation. The meeting will be hosted by Panos London on Wednesday April 15th (9am-5pm) at the Diana Memorial Fund offices on the South Bank.

Building on the previous sessions which have focused on the background and theoretical roots of complexity, we will have a brief introduction to some of the key issues and implications for evaluation approaches that attempt to address the complex nature of aid and development.
Continue reading “Meeting: Complexity and evaluation”

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