As for an evaluator’s ability to suggest a better approach to solving a problem, I think one must take two aspects of the matter into consideration.
First, an evaluation is undertaken to ascertain how successful a given approach is to achieving some pre-determined objective. In my example, it was improving public health of an unnamed country. The political authorities opted for an ultra-modern cardiac unit in the capital of a land where there was hardly any primary health care for the majority.
Durinng pre-project evaluation, this would be obvious to an evaluator who looks at reality as it is, rather than as an academic exercise. True, it is not always as simple as this seems to be. Even so, I believe an evaluator who is not afraid to apply his common sense to the existing local realities of a given place would be able to make some sensible suggestions on some generic changes to a plan intended to attain a goal. The evaluator may not be competent to recommend an specific action, but generic changes ought to be within his ken.
In the ‘public health’ example, it is obvious to an informed evaluation that primary health care has a logical priority over a fancy cardiac unit of limited utility. Of course, he would not be competent to recommend the nuts and bolts of how such a health care system may be established.
Cheers!
Lal.
PS:
Let us remember evaluation is concerned with enhancing the quality of life of real people in some way, and it is not to be conflated with some abstract enterprise dealing with theoretical entities.
RE: Reporting and supporting evaluation use and influence
Greetings!
As for an evaluator’s ability to suggest a better approach to solving a problem, I think one must take two aspects of the matter into consideration.
First, an evaluation is undertaken to ascertain how successful a given approach is to achieving some pre-determined objective. In my example, it was improving public health of an unnamed country. The political authorities opted for an ultra-modern cardiac unit in the capital of a land where there was hardly any primary health care for the majority.
Durinng pre-project evaluation, this would be obvious to an evaluator who looks at reality as it is, rather than as an academic exercise. True, it is not always as simple as this seems to be. Even so, I believe an evaluator who is not afraid to apply his common sense to the existing local realities of a given place would be able to make some sensible suggestions on some generic changes to a plan intended to attain a goal. The evaluator may not be competent to recommend an specific action, but generic changes ought to be within his ken.
In the ‘public health’ example, it is obvious to an informed evaluation that primary health care has a logical priority over a fancy cardiac unit of limited utility. Of course, he would not be competent to recommend the nuts and bolts of how such a health care system may be established.
Cheers!
Lal.
PS:
Let us remember evaluation is concerned with enhancing the quality of life of real people in some way, and it is not to be conflated with some abstract enterprise dealing with theoretical entities.