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Methodology

Methodology is more than methods. It is about how we think about knowledge, evidence and rigour, and whose ways of knowing shape the choices we make. Posts here explore methodological thinking especially at the evaluation-transformation nexus — evaluation OF, FOR, AS AND IN transformation — from technical design and mixed methods to epistemological foundations, complexity-or living systems responsive approaches, and what methodological fitness for purpose in this time of polycrisis demands.
30
Oct
The DAC criteria, Part 8. Global South, Global North 2

The DAC criteria, Part 8. Global South, Global North 2

In my previous post I started to make the case for the evaluation of transformative change and transformative development in
8 min read
26
Oct
The DAC criteria, Part 8. Global South, Global North 1

The DAC criteria, Part 8. Global South, Global North 1

Now that the concept of "developing" and "developed" countries is at last unfashionable, is a special
4 min read
23
Oct
The DAC criteria, Part 7. Let these ideas die!

The DAC criteria, Part 7. Let these ideas die!

The many discussions I have recently had about the effort that is now in place to get to DAC evaluation
5 min read
19
Oct
The DAC criteria, Part 6. Key issues before deciding

The DAC criteria, Part 6. Key issues before deciding

This final post about the DAC criteria captures key points for consideration in the evaluation for development space. It is
6 min read
16
Oct
The DAC criteria, Part 5. Non-negotiable criteria

The DAC criteria, Part 5. Non-negotiable criteria

It is ironic that evaluation has been unable to prevent - or even just sufficiently critique - some of the most damaging
9 min read
12
Oct
The DAC criteria, Part 4. Flexible criteria

The DAC criteria, Part 4. Flexible criteria

Our development evaluation criteria should not be determined solely by stakeholder-determined interests, or by pragmatism resulting from constrained resources.
4 min read
09
Oct
The DAC criteria, Part 3. What should determine them?

The DAC criteria, Part 3. What should determine them?

It will be unwise only to 'fix' in an ad hoc manner the weaknesses in the composition and
2 min read
06
Oct
The DAC criteria, Part 2. Why change?

The DAC criteria, Part 2. Why change?

Given the good contributions of the DAC criteria noted in Part 1 of this series, let us now turn to
7 min read
02
Oct
The DAC criteria, Part 1. The positives

The DAC criteria, Part 1. The positives

The highly influential DAC evaluation criteria need to be revised. Some say reformed. What will modernised evaluation criteria for development
3 min read
10
Mar
Sustaining (development) impact

Sustaining (development) impact

These days we talk a lot about “sustainable development”. And about “evaluating impact”. But I continue to maintain that it is useless to evaluate the impacts of an intervention without focusing on whether such impacts have a good chance to sustain.
4 min read