Lessons Learned from Evaluation

This paper, written by M. J. Spilsbury, C. Perch, S. Norgbey, G. Rauniyar and C.Battaglino for the United Nations Environment Programme presents a framework for lessons from evaluation which consists of common problems, issues and or constraints to which evaluation lessons relate using ‘Mind- mapping’ software and ‘problem tree’ techniques.

Excerpt

"The United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Evaluation and Oversight Unit (EOU) maintains a database of lessons derived from evaluations conducted over the past several years. However, ‘lessons’ presented in evaluation reports are often of highly variable quality and limited utility. They are “often platitudes borne of a felt need to demonstrate engagement in the ‘knowledge society’ or simply to satisfy the specified evaluation requirements”. In addition, even when high quality lessons are developed, they are seldom communicated effectively to their intended audience. ‘Lessons learned’ should more accurately be regarded as ‘lessons to be learned’. In common with many organisations, lessons derived from evaluations have had limited success as a feedback mechanism for programme/project design and implementation within UNEP."

Contents

• Background 3
• Methods - Developing a Framework of Lessons from Evaluation using a Problem Tree approach  4
• Discussion 11
• Conclusions 12