TY - JOUR AU - Hertz, Tilman AU - Brattander, Eva AU - Rose, Loretta PY - 2021/06/21 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Complexity-Aware Monitoring and Evaluation JF - Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation JA - J Multidiscip Eval VL - 17 IS - 41 SE - Research Articles DO - 10.56645/jmde.v17i41.679 UR - https://journals.sfu.ca/jmde/index.php/jmde_1/article/view/679 SP - 35-50 AB - <p><strong>Background:</strong> Addressing today’s sustainability challenges requires adopting a systemic approach where social and ecological systems are treated as integrated social-ecological systems. Such systems are complex, and the international development sector increasingly recognises the need to account for the complexity of the systems that they seek to transform.</p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong> This paper sketches out the elements of a complexity-aware monitoring and evaluation (M&amp;E) system for international development programmes in the area of sustainable development.&nbsp; </p><p><strong>Setting:</strong> Not applicable.</p><p><strong>Data Collection and Analysis: </strong>The authors draw on existing literature on complexity and evaluation and on their own experience from working in the field of M&amp;E.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>An M&amp;E system should not be seen simply as a tool to track compliance against a pre-determined theory of change. Instead, it is most useful as a real-time approach, constantly defining and re-defining narratives for change that help push systems along trajectories of interest. Dealing with complexity involves embracing uncertainty; and this challenges established notions of accountability—something which funders and implementers must begin to redefine together.</p><p><strong><em>Keywords:</em></strong> <em>monitoring; evaluation; complexity; social-ecological systems; international development programmes; narratives for change; theory of change</em></p> ER -