Introduction - Towards Systemic Approaches to Evaluation and Impact

Abstract

This IDS Bulletin is the second of two that follow an Institute of Development Studies event seeking to define an agenda for research and practice of development impact evaluation. It focuses on exploring the potential of systems ideas and complexity concepts to meet the increasingly complex challenges of an increasingly ambitious development agenda. In particular, the contributions seek to: (a) redefine ‘learning’ according to the number of ‘learning loops’ involved; (b) understand how to identify the most relevant impact evaluation questions; (c) simulate systems states in two sectors (leather and health) following the implementation of (combinations of) different policy options and other events; and finally, (d) shake the foundations of the impact evaluation institutional system, recommending that the notions of multiple perspectives and system boundaries are fully embraced, and that the system ultimately transitions from an ‘evaluation industrial complex’ to an ‘evaluation adaptive complex’. While the issue is a step in the right direction, much more work remains to be done.

Inclusive rigour for complexity

“…Plural perspectives: Realism about complexity demands plural perspectives (Befani, Ramalingam, and Stern 2015). If complex conditions are seen only through one lens, much is missed.…”

Can We Know Better?

“…Inclusive participation by diverse stakeholders is a means of triangulating plural perspectives (Befani et al, 2015). Complex conditions become a flat earth when seen through only one lens.…”

“…Parallel developments have taken place in evaluation practice (Befani et al, 2014(Befani et al, , 2015 in an action research mode. In an evaluation, systemic approaches for complexity have come into focus and are being better articulated and explored (Befani et al, 2015).…”

“…In an evaluation, systemic approaches for complexity have come into focus and are being better articulated and explored (Befani et al, 2015). Inclusivity is repeatedly stressed in taking a complex systems perspective (see for instance Garcia and Zazueta, 2015, who contrast it with a theory-of-change only perspective), and with several authors arguing for a plurality of approaches -to identify multiple causality, to extend the boundaries of relevance, to identify unanticipated impacts, and so on.…”

Integrated approaches to health

“…An expanding array of methods for complexity-enabled monitoring, evaluation and learning (CeMEL) is available for use in the fields of development and peacebuilding (Befani et al, 2015;Britt, 2016;Chigas et al, 2014), many of which can be contextually adapted for One Health projects and programmes. A recent edition of the IDS Bulletin (Befani et al, 2015) is entirely dedicated to methods, questions and approaches necessary to embrace complex systems. In the following sections, we will briefly describe some qualitative and quantitative methods and refer to more detailed sources.…”