Utilization Focused Developmental Evaluation: Learning Through Practice

Abstract

Background: Utilization-focused evaluation provides an overall decision-making framework with the intention of ensuring evaluation products and processes are actually used.  Developmental evaluation provides a structure to learn from an experiment or pilot in the making and provide feedback to course-correct and improve the ongoing effort.  In this paper we report on a project where we combined both into a utilization-focused developmental evaluation (UFDE).

Purpose: To determine the theoretical complementarities and the practical advantages of combining UFE with DE, by reflecting on a practical experience.  We include a synopsis of the methodology along with a sample of findings, followed by a reflection of the overall process. We emphasize the conditions that enabled this experience to evolve to guide other practitioners interested in this learning approach to evaluation.

Setting: The context was the piloting of a social and financial education curriculum for youth called Aflateen that was developed by Aflatoun Child Savings International in Amsterdam and test-driven by over forty partners around the World.

Intervention: The evaluation experience took place during a ten-month period between December 2012 and October 2013. This paper provides a summary of the context and a justification for the approach.

Research Design: Not applicable.

Data Collection and Analysis: In additional to conventional data collection instruments, we applied participatory inquiry tools from Social Analysis Systems (www.sas2.net) as a means of engaging stakeholders in real-time data collection and analysis.

Findings: Examples are provided to demonstrate how some developmental evaluation findings informed organizational strategic and operational decisions during the life of the evaluation.