Transcript Creating a Culture of Evaluation – Getting from Rhetoric

Creating a Culture of Evaluation –
Getting from Rhetoric to Possibility
Frances Ruane
FOCUS
Questions we need to answer to
achieve “evaluation” rather than
“validation”
Outline
• Recent history and current context
• Why the concern with evaluation
now?
• What questions need to be
addressed if evaluation is to make
a positive contribution to policy?
Irish Growth Rates 1970-2000
9
8.5
8
7.5
7
6.5
6
5.5
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
9
8.5
8
7.5
7
6.5
6
5.5
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
1970-1975
1975-1980
1980-1985
average GNP growth
1985-1990
1990-1995
GNP 1970-2000 average
1995-2000
Comparison of Irish and EU (15) Growth
Rates 1970-2000
9
9
8
8
7
7
6
6
5
5
4
4
3
3
2
2
1
1
0
0
1970-1975
Irish GNP Growth
1975-1980
1980-1985
EU15 GDP Growth
1985-1990
Irish GNP 1970-200 Average
1990-1995
1995-2000
EU15 GDP 1970-2000 Growth
Current context
• weak history of planning => systemwide benchmark problems
• budgetary constraints => poor
evaluation tradition
• inclusive, negotiated agreements =>
compromise solutions
• clientelist political tradition => bias
against economic rationality
Who really wants evaluation?
Seen as “Raining on the parade”?
Recall the musical Evita
“When the money keeps rolling out
you don't keep books
You can tell you've done well by the
happy grateful looks
Accountants only slow things down,
figures get in the way”
Why the new
Concern
with Evaluation?
Accountability
(C&AG, PAC, IA)
Transparency
(FOI)
International Norms
(EC)
Why the new
Concern
with Evaluation?
Efficiency
New Rhetoric
(EBPM)
Governance
Three key questions
• Who decides on the “evaluation
context”?
• Who should undertake evaluations?
• Who should evaluate the evaluators?
Who decides on the “evaluation
context”?
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Evaluation of what?
Evaluation for what purpose?
Evaluation with which tools?
Evaluation to what standards?
Evaluation over what timeframe?
Evaluation for whose eyes?
Implications of outturn for funding?
Who should undertake
evaluations?
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Progamme promoters
Evaluation units within departments
Centralised evaluation units
Outside (national) evaluators
Outside (international) evaluators
and to what template?
Who should evaluate the
evaluators?
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Issue of standards/methodologies
Issue of professionalism/governance
Problem of small country …
Role of the network …
Need for a positive approach to evaluation
More than economics!
Reflect on insights of Charles M. Schultz