If you are willing to regard evaluation as ascertaining the extent to which any given policy, its implementation strategy, operationalisation and field activity have succeeded in enhancing the quality of life of a target group, then your question becomes simple to answer. Put differently, the problem is to determine whether the physical end product of the above, for instance, a road, hospital, school, farming support etc., has actually benefited a group of people.
Success of an action to be evaluated then, is not measurable by the technical excellence of such end products, some of which may be intangible at first glance, for example, a policy. To evaluate the success or failure of a policy, one has to ascertain to what degree it has benefited a target group.
It is here one runs into a set of difficulties:
Is the majority of a target group willing to _use_ the end product of a project? If not, an excellent road, a hospital etc., may be able to serve its intended purpose, but it would not benefit the people. Cultural norms and certain kinds of vested interests may bring about an adverse public opinion against it, which would turn the end product useless. Such situations are very difficult to identify, hence evaluate.
Target group may be unable to make appropriate use of an end-product owing to a majority of a target group being incompetent to do so. Lack of relevant training, its neglect in project plans etc., are the main causes of this. Evaluation does not seem to consider the importance of a target group possessing this competence.
RE: Evaluability Assessments: An invitation to reflect and discuss
Norway
Lal - Manavado
Consultant
Independent analyst/synthesist
Posted on 20/08/2024
Hi, Jackie!
If you are willing to regard evaluation as ascertaining the extent to which any given policy, its implementation strategy, operationalisation and field activity have succeeded in enhancing the quality of life of a target group, then your question becomes simple to answer. Put differently, the problem is to determine whether the physical end product of the above, for instance, a road, hospital, school, farming support etc., has actually benefited a group of people.
Success of an action to be evaluated then, is not measurable by the technical excellence of such end products, some of which may be intangible at first glance, for example, a policy. To evaluate the success or failure of a policy, one has to ascertain to what degree it has benefited a target group.
It is here one runs into a set of difficulties:
Best wishes!
Lal.