Expanding foresight practitioner excellence: Assessment of practitioner evaluation capacity

Abstract

AbstractForesight evaluation is an emerging area of evaluation practice. In 2021, the Association of Professional Futurists (APF) conducted a survey of foresight practitioners to assess their capacity to conduct quality evaluation. Results suggest a moderate level of evaluation capacity exists amongst the APF membership, though the use of evaluation is low overall. Respondents with evaluation experience report being able to do both process and impact evaluations. Additionally, foresight practitioners understand the importance of evaluation, particularly to improve their foresight practice, and use evaluation findings for multiple reasons. However, respondents indicate the barriers to the evaluation of foresight are numerous. One group of factors is related to a lack of knowledge about evaluation and how to collect and analyze data related to the evaluation of foresight. Other barriers were attributed to the perceived lack of appreciation of the value of evaluation of foresight by clients and funders. Lastly, study findings speak to the need for a multifaceted approach with diverse resources to strengthen individual and organizational foresight evaluation capacity.