The transformational power of evaluation: Exploring long-term perspectives in evaluations of impacts and outcomes from the standpoint of practitioners

Abstract

Evaluation should be part of the sustainable transition, but the transformational power of evaluation is limited by a short-term focus. This article explores long-term issues, according to evaluation practitioners, when evaluating the consequences of an initiative. A survey ( n = 282) followed by discussions with 12 evaluators investigates what is long term in evaluations of impacts and outcomes, and why it is included or not. The results identify 2 to 5 years after the implementation of an initiative as the most common long-term timeframe. The main challenges to including long-term perspectives are missing data, attribution difficulties, and the lack of resources. The main motivations are discovering particular causalities, incorporating contextual elements, and answering the demands of other actors involved in the evaluation. These findings have implications for the transformational power of evaluation: despite challenges and a long-term timeframe that is rather short compared to sustainable development issues, practitioners are positive toward long-term integration.