Loading...
← Back to Home

Evaluation And learning

Key considerations for evaluation

Key considerations for the three stages of evaluation

Evaluation preparation:


  • Determining evaluability: The relative ‘newness’ of the PVE field and lack of availability of PVE data and available evidence can raise a challenge for determining evaluability, but an evaluability assessment should be conducted to assess the feasibility of evaluation within the given resource and contextual constraints.
  • Preparing a scope of work: The scope of work should highlight the requirements of the evaluation, in particular data gaps or data collection challenges, conflict sensitivity issues, risks or ethical considerations. In addition, data protection and security requirements should be clearly stated.
  • Selecting the evaluation team: Special care to be given to selecting the right evaluation team for the assignment, considering the specific experience (contextual, PVE, thematic) required, sensitivities (PVE, gender, cultural) and risk related to the evaluation.

Evaluation design and implementation:

  • The evaluation questions and framework: Evaluation lines of inquiry should be tailored for the specific context and project, however, some broad questions adapted here from the OECD DAC Guidance for Evaluating Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Activities offer a useful model.
  • Data collection – tools, protocols, and methods: The nature of your PVE programme, evaluation purpose and questions, as well as available resources, will steer the selection of data collection tools. Refer the above module on data collection for more details on data collection. Methods should integrate risk, security and protection protocols which relate to the specific PVE context.

Evaluation utilisation:

  • Reporting and utilisation: The evaluation ToR should define the reporting methods and evaluation audience. Sharing learning and communicating findings with other practitioners and partners as well as donors will provide valuable data to contribute to the evidence base on PVE programmes.
  • Feedback with participants: Where possible, evaluation findings and how these findings have been used should be fed back to evaluation participants.

Five points to consider in PVE evaluation

1
PVE intervention:

The nature of the PVE programme - its scope, goals and target groups, as well as intervention strategy and choices made during implementation guide choices about how you will conduct the evaluation.

2
PVE evaluation purpose:

What are the aims of the evaluation, which of the evaluation criteria (OECD DAC evaluation criteria of relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability) are of the most interest?

3
PVE evaluation questions:

Consult programme participants and stakeholders to ensure that the evaluation questions reflect information they want to be included. Ensure questions are gender and conflict sensitive and tested out with beneficiaries and partners before conducting the evaluation.

4
Evidence needed to test hypotheses and assumptions on PVE:

Your evaluation purpose, programme ToC, questions you want answered and existing available data will shape what evidence you look for.

5
Data collection:

Based on the above four considerations, you can identify data collection methods suitable for your evaluation. Issues of feasibility and potential risks in the different types of data collection methods in your programme context (such as isses of bias) will also inform your data collection strategies. Using mixed methods and triangulating methods is advised.


Adapted from IMPACT Europe, An evaluation toolkit for professionals working in the counter violent extremism field, http://www.impact.itti.com.pl