Evaluation: The “E” in M and E

1. Evaluation: The “E” in M and E

2. What is Evaluation? • Evaluation is the episodic/periodic assessment of overall achievements. • Evaluations are linked to outcomes (impact, goal) as opposed to only immediate outputs • Evaluation is a systematic process of collecting and analysing information to track the effectiveness of the organisation in achievement of goals. • Evaluation is the collection and analysis of information to assess the impact of the organisation’s work

3. What is Evaluation? • Done by objective persons, often independent of implementors • Involves judgements based on review of actual experience – focus on outcomes and impact (goal)levels • Using the data that were collected during monitoring, and other data • Provides regular feedback that enable an organisation to analyse the consequences, outcomes, and results of its actions. • Can produce enormous savings !

4. Evaluation Asks What have we achieved? What impact have we had?

5. Monitoring Evaluation Efficiency and Effectiveness • Efficiency • Measures how productively inputs (money, time, personnel, equipment) are being used in the creation of outputs (products, results) • An efficient organisation is one that achieves its objectives with the most resourceful expenditures of resources • Effectiveness • Measures the degree to which results / objectives have been achieved. • An effective organisation is one that achieves its results and objectives

6. Evaluation Responsibility is often Independent

7. Forms and Methods • Impact Evaluation • Trend toward randomized control trials • Key issue is assessing ‘the counterfactual’ – what would have happened in the absence of the intervention • Process Evaluation • Formative • Summative

8. When do an Impact Evaluation ? • • Pilot programs • • Innovative programs • • Representative or important programs

9. Impact Evaluation Can be Very Influential • Progressa Evaluation saved millions in Mexico, spurred major growth in conditional cash transfers • Many other examples (see handouts)

10. Development Agencies and Countries Increasingly Focus on Impact Evaluation • DIME Initiative • Recent impact evaluation methods and findings • http://www.3ieimpact.org/ • Global initiative to support independent impact evaluation • Esther Duflo on Impact Evaluation • Prize winning economist argues for impact evaluation • Closing the Evaluation Gap • Center for Global Development Advocacy on IE