Formative developmental evaluation: a transdisciplinary urban regeneration project in London, UK

Abstract

In the field of urban health and sustainability, transdisciplinary approaches are increasingly being applied to bring together and integrate cross-disciplinary, cross-sectoral knowledge to generate effective solutions. This chapter describes the processes and outcomes of a transdisciplinary approach. We focus on a policy-relevant international research programme, Complex Urban Systems for Sustainability and Health (CUSSH). We describe a model for transdisciplinary health research developed by Pineo et al. (2021), applied to evaluate and reflect on how transdisciplinary has unfolded in practice in a case study in Thamesmead, London. The chapter responds to calls for more evaluation and reflections on transdisciplinary research projects. We present a formative, developmental evaluation approach. Developmental evaluation is an iterative process supporting programme innovation, adaptation in changing and complex contexts. As an evaluation approach, it provides methodological flexibility to support adaptation - with a focus on nurturing learning as a core goal. In the case study of Thamesmead, a developmental evaluation approach was used to help frame concepts, track developments and share reflections. The chapter presents our collective reflections on the processes and outcomes of transdisciplinary research, examining if (and how) our efforts have led to the integration of diverse knowledge types and co-creation of knowledge