1 - Principles-Focused Developmental Evaluation

Abstract Information: Principles-Focused Developmental Evaluation guides adaptive action, innovative initiatives, and systems change in complex dynamic environments. The essentials of this approach will be presented, examined, and applied. Participants will learn to distinguish Principles-Focused Developmental Evaluation from other evaluation approaches. The course will include special attention to the relevance and implications of evaluation adaptability and agility in times of uncertainty and turbulence, as in the global pandemic and accelerating climate emergency. The course will cover the niche and nature of principles-focused developmental evaluation; purposes and applications at local and international levels; the particular challenges, strengths, and weaknesses of this approach; essential principles and practices for designing and conducting principles-focused developmental evaluations; case examples; and new and emergent directions.

Relevance Statement: Developmental Evaluation (DE) has become a major evaluation approach since publication of the original book in 2011 (Patton, Developmental Evaluation). DE offers a flexible decision framework for designing and implementing an evaluation to fit a particular innovation and/or adaptation. DE emerged from Utilization-Focused Evaluation to serve the purpose of innovation development and intervention adaptation. DE originated as a response to criticism of traditional evaluation by social innovators who wanted a more adaptive evaluation approach. Applications of DE led to the formulation of Principles-Focused Evaluation (Patton, 2018). Principles help social innovators adapt under conditions of turbulence and uncertainty. Principles-focused evaluation determines if developmental principles are meaningful, adhered to, and lead to desired results. Evaluators excel at evaluating projects and programs but are now being asked to evaluate community impacts, regional and sector-wide initiatives, cross-silo interventions, networks and collaborations, and systems transformations, all of which pose new conceptual and methodological challenges. We are also being challenged to address the legacies of colonization and white dominance in the field. The Sustainable Development Goals for Agenda 2030 manifest a global commitment to equity and sustainability. The profession of evaluation, including AEA, has adopted a commitment to equity and sustainability. Principles-Focused Developmental Evaluation manifests that commitment and adherence to all AEA principles. Principles-Focused Developmental Evaluation has taken on added importance in addressing system transformation in the face of the global polycrisis: climate emergency, pandemic spread, global inequities, massive misinformation and disinformation efforts, pollution of land, water, and air, nuclear war dangers, and threats to democracy. Principles-Focused Developmental Evaluation connects the local and global, engaging evaluation of initiatives at the interface of global trends and local needs. This session will present and engage participants in examining the practical implications of undertaking Principles-Focused Developmental Evaluation. Developmental Evaluation has spread broadly as programs and projects around the world have had to pivot in the face of the pandemic. Timely, meaningful, useful, and relevant evaluative information interpreted through facilitated evaluative thinking is at the core of the latest leading-edge approach to Principles-Focused Developmental Evaluation. As the creator and developer of this approach, I am inundated with requests for training and capacity building. I feel an obligation and commitment to make this approach available again this year as an AEA professional development pre-session. Last year’s session was fully subscribed and positively evaluated.