Coexistive model of evaluation

This paper, written by Dr Kate Roberts for Roberts Research and Evaluation, outlines a Coexistive model of evaluation which aims to ensure the perspectives of all important stakeholders are retained.

The model demonstrates that there can be different interpretations of the data collected but that the different views of stakeholders are able to coexist together in the evaluation. 

Excerpt

The advantages of this model are that it ensures that the different perspectives are not lost or minimised and it enables all views to be given appropriate weight. If there are any conflicting views about the program they are exposed and accounted for. For example, the beneficiaries may be experiencing great value but the funding administrators may find the program too costly.

In its purest form, the coexistive model allows the different stakeholders to collect and interpret their own data and this makes for a rich and varied picture of the program. Those interpretations may not be comprehensible to other stakeholders but that is acceptable under this model. The coexistive form is best suited to long term programs with multiple stakeholders who are culturally different. [The term “culture” as it is used here is not confined to race or ethnicity but more broadly to include attitudes or norms arising from the stakeholders’ socio economic group, organisation or occupation].

Contents

  • Advantages of the coexistive model
  • Multiperspective v coexistive: an example
  • Diversity
  • Methodology
  • Difference between multiperspective and coexistive forms 

Sources

Roberts, K., (nd). Coexistive model of evaluation, Roberts Research and Evaluation. Retrieved from: https://web.archive.org/web/20140302045756/http://www.robertsevaluation.com.au/images/pdfs/coexistive_short_paper.pdf (archived link)