Full Description
Evaluation Management: How to Commission and Conduct Evaluations that Matter helps evaluation teams and commissioners achieve results that meet utilization and organizational learning goals and inform positive change for programs and communities. Tessie Tzavaras Catsambas and E. Jane Davidson provide insights on both the tactical and strategic levels of evaluation management, using approaches and skills from project management, administration and logistics, budgeting, team management, leadership development, communication, coaching, systems thinking, and negotiation. They also demonstrate how intentionality for equity, sustainability and culturally responsive practices is essential for ensuring an evaluation's relevance and enhancing productive stakeholder engagement. With plenty of practical guidance from many years of experience, the authors provide a valuable resource for student readers, experienced evaluators, and commissioners of evaluation.
Contents
Chapter 1. Overview Of Evaluation Management
What Is Evaluation Management?
Whose Job Is Evaluation Management?
What Tasks Does the Evaluation Management Job Entail?
What Are the Key Evaluation Management Competencies?
Conclusion
Chapter 2. Commissioning Great Evaluations
Deciding Whether and What to Evaluate
Evaluation Criteria and Scoping
Determining the Best Way to Contract an External Evaluation
Getting Practical: The Process of Writing an Evaluation Terms of Reference
Selecting a Strong Evaluation Team (or Sole Evaluators)
Selecting the Best Evaluation Implementor
Building Capacity in Commissioning Evaluation
Chapter 3. Pre-Start Up: Analyzing the Evaluation Requirements
Pre-Proposal: Understanding the Terms of Reference
Responding to the Terms of Reference
Clarifying, Negotiating, and Selection
Upon Evaluation Contract Award
Chapter 4. Managing The Evaluation Contract Start-Up
Evaluation Management Structure
Goals of Evaluation Start-Up
Starting in the Middle
Key Evaluation Start-Up Tasks
Chapter 5. Managing The Evaluation Team
Goals of Team Management in Evaluation
Configurations of Evaluation Teams
Managing Team Performance
Managing Multiple Evaluation Teams at the Same Time
Chapter 6. Managing Data Collection
Prior to Initiating Data Collection
Early in Data Collection
Active Data Collection
Managing and Archiving Data
Communication
Good Monitoring Practices
Addressing the Unexpected
Chapter 7. Managing Data Analysis
Role and Scope of Data Analysis in an Evaluation
Important Questions in Data Analysis
The Cost of Skipping Data Analysis
The Role of the Evaluation Manager in Data Analysis
Chapter 8. Managing Evaluation Reporting
Principles and Practices of Good Reporting
Written Reports
The Debriefing Meeting
Reviews and Approval
Chapter 9: Managing Evaluation Use and Influence
No, Evaluation Use and Influence Is Not Only About Implementing Recommendations!
What Is the Evaluation Manager's Job in Evaluation Use and Influence?
What Drives Evaluation Use and Influence
Managing Context and Politics
Managing the Process and Stakeholder Engagement
Developing an Evaluation Use and Influence Strategy
Involving Key Influencers in Evaluation
Strengthening Evaluation Culture and Capacity While Facilitating Evaluation Use
Chapter 10. Building Evaluation Management Capacity for Evaluation Commissioners
Building a Strong Evaluation System
Evaluation Culture
Evaluation Competencies for Commissioners of Evaluation
The Operational Level of Evaluation
References
Index
