CDI Seminar: Evaluating complex change across projects and contexts

Methodological lessons from a macroevaluation of DFID’s social accountability portfolio

The UK Department for International Development (DFID) has commissioned Itad to undertake a macro evaluation of its large and diverse Empowerment and Accountability portfolio. In this seminar the authors share methodological learning from this complex evaluation. The innovative methodology employed a mixed-method approach designed to capture the breadth and of a large and diverse portfolio without losing the depth of analysis of complex change processes.

The evaluation used a theory-based approach to understanding causality that rigorously combines Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) with narrative analysis. The presentation will focus on the learning from the application of our methodology: on sampling from a diverse portfolio, identifying causal combinations of factors leading to outcomes, and unpacking causal mechanisms behind these combinations, including the role of context.

Speakers

Jeremy Holland is a Social Development Consultant, project manager and lecturer with over 15 years’ experience in research and advisory work in developing and transitional countries.

Florian Schatz is an in-house consultant at Itad. He holds an MSc (distinction) from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is a governance and monitoring & evaluation specialist

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Presentation