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Use and Influence of Evaluation

In Search of Evidence-Use Stories: Mining Annual Performance Reports for Examples of Adaptive Management

Thursday, October 12, 2023
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM ET
Location: Grand Ballroom 8

Location: Grand Ballroom 8

Abstract Information: Annual performance reports USAID missions (field offices) submit to Washington are chock-full of data and evidence, but how are field offices using the data and evidence they generate? How can USAID identify or develop stories of evidence and data use without adding to reporting burden? Since 2017, USAID’s Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC Bureau) has sought to extract examples of adaptive management — defined as “an intentional approach to making decisions and adjustments in response to new information and changes in context” — from LAC missions’ annual performance reports. What started as informal reviews of the annual reports has evolved into computer-assisted qualitative analyses and a validation toolkit. In this session, USAID will present the toolkit, describe some of the challenges and successes we have encountered along the way, and showcase a few of the adaptive management stories it has helped identify.

Relevance Statement: Adaptive management is a key program cycle concept in USAID policy and practice, based on the premise that using data and evidence -- including evidence generated through program evaluation and monitoring -- helps produce better development outcomes. It aligns with AEA’s principle of USAID program managers routinely use data and evidence for decision making without necessarily capturing or recording these instances. This can make it difficult for USAID to share concrete examples with senior leaders, Congress, and partner country stakeholders (including program participants). Session participants will come away from the demonstration with a better understanding USAID’s definition of adaptive management, awareness of a potential tool for pinpointing examples, and enthusiasm for showcasing stories of adaptive management.