Decide purposes

Methods

Using findings

• Contribute to broader evidence base

  Inform future policy and practice by others outside the organisation.

• Inform decision making aimed at improvement (formative)

  Changing or confirming policies and practices.

• Inform decision making aimed at selection, continuation or termination (summative)

  Identifying best value for money.

• Lobby and advocate

  Justify expenditure and demonstrate achievements.

Using process

• Build trust and legitimacy across stakeholders

  Develop better understandings of each other and demonstrate that expectations are being met.

• Ensure accountability

  Holding someone to account to someone for something.

• Inclusion of diverse perspectives

  Inclusion of diverse perspectives requires attention to ensure that marginalised people and communities are adequately engaged in the evaluation.

Resources

• Exploding the myth of incompatibility between accountability and learning

  This chapter from Capacity Development in Practice examines the conflict in the field of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) between the need for ‘accountability’ and the desire to ensure ‘learning’.

• Purposes of assessment - Keystone guide

  This webpage from Keystone Accountability outlines the six major reasons that social organizations monitor, assess and report their performance and results.

  The reasons identified include:

• Seeking surprise: Rethinking monitoring for collective learning in rural resource management

  This PhD thesis from Irene Guijt draws on her extensive knowledge and experience in the field of rural resource management in Brazil.

• Utilization-Focused Evaluation: 4th edition

  Useful for practitioners and students alike this book is both theoretical and practical. Features include follow-up exercises at the end of each chapter and a utilization-focused evaluation checklist.