| Session Title: Developmental Evaluation as a Special Utilization-Focused Purpose and Niche |
| Expert Lecture Session 582 to be held in Panzacola Section G1 on Friday, Nov 13, 3:35 PM to 4:20 PM |
| Sponsored by the Evaluation Use TIG |
| Chair(s): |
| Michael Patton, Utilization-Focused Evaluation, mqpatton@prodigy.net |
| Presenter(s): |
| Michael Patton, Utilization-Focused Evaluation, mqpatton@prodigy.net |
| Abstract: Developing a model is different from testing its overall effectiveness (summative evaluation) or improving it (formative evaluation). Innovations generated in complex environments under emergent and uncertain conditions present special challenges for evaluation. To adapt rapidly to changing conditions, innovators need to be able to learn quickly. That means evaluators have to be able to gather relevant data rapidly and provide rapid feedback if findings are to be useful. Simultaneously, the evaluator is inculcating evaluative thinking into the innovative process, which is its own challenge, because creative innovators are often more intuition-driven than data-driven. Using understandings from systems thinking and complexity science, this session will describe and give examples of an approach to evaluation -- Developmental Evaluation (DE) -- that makes rapid feedback for learning and adaptation the centerpiece of the evaluative process. Learning in DE includes both substantive learning (findings use) and learning to think evaluatively (process use.) |