Affiliation:
1. Utilization Focused Evaluation
Abstract
Abstract
Developmental evaluation provides evaluative information and feedback to social innovators, and their funders and supporters, to inform adaptive development of change initiatives in complex, dynamic environments. Developmental evaluation processes include asking evaluative questions, applying evaluation logic, and gathering and reporting evaluative data, to inform and support the development of innovative projects, programs, initiatives, products, organizations, and/or systems change. Eight guiding principles inform all aspects of developmental evaluation design and implementation: (1) having a developmental purpose, (2) rigorous evaluative thinking, (3) focusing on utilization, (4) documenting aspects of innovation, (5) taking place in complex dynamic systems, (6) systems thinking and synthesis, (7) co-creation by evaluators and social innovators, and (8) timely feedback. This chapter concludes with some new directions in developmental evaluation designed to evaluate global systems transformation in the context of accelerating global climate energy.