Learning as You Go Developmental Evaluation can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your...

Learning as You GoDevelopmental Evaluation can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your organization’s work

Introductions

• Name• Organization• Role• Experience with Evaluation

Where do you work?

Easy St.?

Or Here?

Simple…Piece of Cake

Complicated…Wedding Cake

Complex…Cake Shop

Task 1: Simple

What is one of the tasks that your organization completes that is simple: • You use a known method • It involves few parts or people• You are sure you can complete it

successfully

Write it down on the Green card

Task 2: Complicated

What is one of the tasks that your organization completes that is complicated: • It involves many parts or people• Interactions between parts are

predictable• If you are careful and thorough, you

can complete it successfully Write it down on the

Blue card

Write it down on the Orange card

Task 3: Complex

What is one of the goals that your organization would like to do that is complex: • It involves many parts or people• Interactions between parts are

unpredictable• Even if you are careful and thorough, you

may not complete it successfully

Social Innovation

• Strong vision of what could be• Commitment to making a difference• Explore possibilities for new

approaches• Uncertainty• Messiness

Social Innovation

Think about a time you or your organization had a vision and commitment, but you faced either (or both) • Uncertainty• Messiness

Write it down on the Yellow card

Evaluation of Social Innovation• Collaborative: Innovators + Evaluators • Open and adaptive• Valuing all perspectives• Eager for feedback• Tolerance for ambiguity• “Getting to Maybe”

From your Yellow card — What feedback did you seek? Did you get a solution that’s still in use?

Developmental Evaluation

• Term coined by Michael Quinn Patton• Nurtures promising

innovation• Supports adaptation• Documents actions taken• Identifies short-term

consequences• Connects consequences to

larger vision

Developmental Evaluation

Does your organization do some of the things that are “developmental evaluation?” Describe any that you do – or, think about why you don’t.(Innovation, adaptation, short-term consequences, connected to vision)

Write it down on the Pink card

“What’s in a name?”

• “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

• Other frameworks for complexity, innovation, and adaption: Strategic Learning Results-Based Accountability Emergent Learning

Culture of Evaluation

• Building a culture of evaluation• DIY Evaluation• Use an external evaluator

Culture of Evaluation

Involve your staff:• Give them a voice• Increase engagement• Know you are listening• Validate their efforts

Culture of Evaluation

Use what you have:• Track and follow what is happening

now• Look for small successes• Value qualitative data — not everything

important can be reduced to numbers

Culture of Evaluation

Communication:• Be consistent about valuing feedback• Embrace transparent decision-making

Learning is at the center

• A lessonChanges what you know

• A lesson learnedChanges what you do

• Developmental evaluation is focused on changing what you do

Learning is at the center

• The learning cycle:• Plan• Act• Reflect• Adjust• Plan

…

Learning is at the center

• The learning cycle• Developmental evaluation

helps you completethe learning cycle

Thank You!

Peter Flanagan-Hyde, MACertificate in Social Impact MeasurementASU Lodestar Center, Nonprofit Management Institute

peter@flanagan-hyde.comwww.flanagan-hyde.com602-314-6460