Evaluation for Change
Evaluation is an integral part of conceptualisation and management for the achievement of development results, be it for policies, programmes and projects. Conducted by independent persons, evaluations provide policy makers and programme managers valuable insights that can be used to improve effectiveness and efficiency of development initiatives. Evaluation entails the systematic assessment of a planned, ongoing or completed intervention’s design, implementation and results. Thus the objectives of an evaluation are to determine the fulfilment of goals, objectives, efficiency, effectiveness, impacts and sustainability of development interventions.
Post evaluations provide insights and lessons that help in development of new initiatives, and mid-term evaluations provide inputs for improving implementation performance. Evaluations thus provide insights and evidence for change and improved management of programme. Evaluations go beyond typical outputs that are measured during the monitoring process and look at outcomes and impacts of the development intervention. Thus, evaluations tend to provide evidence on the effectiveness of the resources and the resulting benefits. Evaluation also provides opportunity to determine the views of the beneficiaries of the development initiative and effectiveness of operational arrangements. Evaluations provide means of sharing the experience of the development initiatives with others enhancing the possibility of influencing other development initiatives too. Evaluations have the potential not only to create changes to the concerned development initiative, but also to a wider spectrum of development initiatives.
Whilst the benefits of evaluation are many, the use of evaluation and findings are mixed. Discussed extensively in the literature these issues can be further explored by the interested researcher. They all lead to invaluable lesson learning in the exploration of what works, common pitfalls in development initiatives and elements that support effective action. From the practical application side of evaluation, the availability of structured inputs to build capacity of the practitioners is a stumbling block. Lack of access to recorded and consolidated knowledge on evaluation is a lacunae that the evaluation market and professionals face, along with the content, skills and attitudes to aid the process.
Sri Lanka Evaluation Association ( SLEvA) is making an effort to fill in these gaps through the provision of training in evaluation and facilitating sharing of knowledge of evaluation experts. The Biennial International Conference is one such effort, where the expertise and current debates and discussions on evaluation are brought together. SLEvA