Making evaluation matter: Capturing multiple realities and voices for sustainable development

Abstract

We measure what we value. While RCTs provide us with precision and statistical rigor, seemingly giving confidence to what works and what does not, they are of limited value for analysing a complex dynamic world system. Various approaches that are people-centric, utilization-focused and forensic in nature have emerged to address deep-seated structural inequalities such as gender, poverty and climate change. Adaptive management recognizes that interventions, and therefore evaluations, must address uncertainties, navigate innovations and simultaneously provide a rigorous understanding of dynamic social change. So the question is not an either/or, suggesting we need a nuanced understanding of what we can and cannot learn from RCTs. Various field interventions are using these emerging methodologies to capture intersectional realities, recognizing contribution rather than just attribution to provide a holistic picture of the nature of social transformation. Such a multi-disciplinary approach to evaluation has a promising future.