Choosing Appropriate Evaluation Methods: A Tool for Assessment & Selection

The document "Choosing Appropriate Evaluation Methods: A Tool for Assessment & Selection" is a helpful resource for individuals with some knowledge of evaluation. It presents a practical framework to help users choose the most suitable evaluation methods (from a total of 15 methods) for their specific needs. This tool functions as a learning device, guiding users to weigh the pros and cons of different methods logically and systematically, rather than providing a single definitive answer.
 
The core of the framework is the "Choice Triangle," which is an evolution of the "Design Triangle." It structures the selection process by assessing a method's appropriateness across three dimensions:
  1. The method’s ability to answer a series of specific evaluation questions.
  2. The method’s more general ability to fulfill a series of tasks or reach specific goals.
  3. The evaluation stakeholders’ ability to accommodate the method’s specific requirements.
In addition, the author outlines eight dimensions of evaluation quality that should guide the assessment:
  1. Framing (Conceptual framing)
  2. Transparency (Replicability/Confirmability)
  3. Appropriateness (Methodological Appropriateness)
  4. Validity (Construct/ Measurement Validity)
  5. Credibility (Truth Value of Statements/Findings; Internal Validity)
  6. Transferability (External Validity)
  7. Robustness (Reliability/Dependability/Consistency/Stability)
  8. Structure
By integrating these dimensions into the Choice Triangle, the tool offers a clear and structured way to navigate the often complex task of selecting evaluation methods. 
 
Links to the document:
(The Excel file can also be found here.)


This version 2 is the updated edition of the "Choosing Appropriate Evaluation Methods" tool, originally created by Barbara Befani and Michael O'Donnell and published on the Bond website. This latest version was made possible with funding from the Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus (CECAN).
 


Hnin Ei Lwin

#Monitoring #Evaluation #Reporting #Research #MEARL

#social #development #humanitarian #publichealth 


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