RE: What can evaluations do in terms of capacity development? | Eval Forward

Dear Kebba and all,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the following important questions:

1. Could we develop capacity through evaluations?
2. Could evaluations help in capacity development?

For both questions #1 and 2 my answer is YES, we can and do develop capacities through evaluations. A typical case in point is that each time I conduct an evaluation for a training session, consultants or service providers request for a copy of my evaluation report and the tool itself. They note that the tool has the potential to help them improve their preparedness, delivery and follow up support. 

Besides this feedback, it’s a given that the purpose of evaluations is to identify gaps, improve planning and inform decision making. In terms of capacity building, evaluations help us identify further training needs areas and provide mechanisms for better and more effective delivery of capacity building actions and means of tracking results or impact.