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Session Title: Building Evaluation Capacity Through Appreciative Inquiry and Participatory Methods
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Panel Session 212 to be held in Centennial Section A on Thursday, Nov 6, 9:15 AM to 10:45 AM
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Sponsored by the Organizational Learning and Evaluation Capacity Building TIG
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| Chair(s): |
| Hallie Preskill,
Claremont Graduate University,
hpreskill@ca.rr.com
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| Discussant(s):
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| Hallie Preskill,
Claremont Graduate University,
hpreskill@ca.rr.com
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| Abstract:
In many organizations, the task of program evaluation is relegated to internal or external 'experts' who design, implement and report on the results of evaluation. This often leads to a separation of evaluation from other program activities and reports have little use for program management. Organizations today need increased internal capacity to contract for, use, and participate in evaluations. To respond to increasing demand for evaluation capacity building, evaluators of the 21st century must be well equipped with tools to help organizations learn about evaluation and develop evaluation cultures. One useful tool is Appreciative Inquiry (AI), an approach to inquiry that engages participants in the systematic study of success as a means of learning through evaluation. This panel will show how the use of AI can help to improve the quality of M&E data, increase evaluation use, build program staff's evaluation competencies, and integrate monitoring and evaluation with program activities.
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Using Appreciative Inquiry to Build Evaluation Capacity: Results From Three Case Studies
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| Shanelle Boyle,
Claremont Graduate University,
shanelle.boyle@gmail.com
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In an effort to respond to the increasing demand for evaluation capacity building (ECB), evaluators of the 21st century must be well equipped with tools to help organizations learn about evaluation and develop evaluation cultures. One tool, or ECB strategy, that may be extremely useful to evaluators is Appreciative Inquiry (AI). AI is an approach to inquiry that asks participants to consider peak experiences, successes, and positive outcomes, as a means for improving the present, while also creating a vision of the future. While AI has an enormous potential to help organizations build evaluation capacity, little is known about how to use AI for ECB purposes or its long-term impacts. In an attempt to shed light on these issues, this paper will present findings from a research study involving the implementation of an AI on ECB experiences at three organizations. All attendees will receive a handout summarizing the study.
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Using Appreciative Inquiry to Transform Evaluative Thinking and Build Evaluation Capacity: The Albania Experience
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| Mary Gutmann,
EnCompass LLC,
mgutmann@encompassworld.com
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In many organizations, the task of program evaluation is relegated to internal or external 'experts' who design, implement and report on the results of evaluation. This often leads to a separation of evaluation from other program activities and reports have little use for program management. Organizations today need increased internal capacity to contract for, use, and participate in evaluations. To respond to increasing demand for evaluation capacity building, evaluators of the 21st century must be well equipped with tools to help organizations learn about evaluation and develop evaluation cultures. One useful tool is Appreciative Inquiry (AI), an approach to inquiry that engages participants in the systematic study of success as a means of learning through evaluation. This panel will show how the use of AI can help to improve the quality of M&E data, increase evaluation use, build program staff's evaluation competencies, and integrate monitoring and evaluation with program activities.
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Using Appreciative Inquiry to Build Evaluation Capacity in Evaluation Learning Circles and Other Initiatives
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| Carolyn Cohen,
Cohen Research and Evaluation,
cohenevaluation@seanet.com
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This session describes lessons learned from experiences in integrating elements of AI into small scale projects. One example involves incorporating AI as part of an evaluation capacity-building 'coaching' endeavor. In this case, AI was infused into Evaluation Learning Circles conducted with new program officers in a small philanthropic foundation. In another case, AI was used as part of a one-time intervention at a board of directors' strategic planning retreat. Ms. Cohen will describe the specifics of these activities, and share lessons learned on the varying levels of success of these endeavors.
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