Cottages that were accommodation for rubber plantation workers in the days of the Belgian colonial research station INEAC. Today some residents are employees of the station, but others are the families of former employees who have passed away. In practice, even those who are officially employees have little formal work to do, and effectively make do with farming or other activities. © Nyani Quarmyne/Panos Pictures © Nyani Quarmyne / Panos Pictures

Specialist short course

COntribution Analysis for Impact Evaluation

Learn how to design impact evaluations more effectively using a contribution analysis approach with our five-day in-person specialist training course.

Many development programmes have overlapping activities that are regularly adapted in collaboration with multiple partners to respond to ongoing changes in the operating environment. Traditional impact evaluation methods that measure differences in baseline and endline outcomes are not well suited to deal with this complexity.

Contribution Analysis has emerged as a structured approach that is better able to address these real-world challenges. It consists of a stepwise, iterative process of refining Theory of Change. Mixed method research designs are used to verify the critical and contested assumptions.

You’ll be introduced to the strengths and weaknesses of several novel methods that can be used within a Contribution Analysis approach to impact evaluation, including methods to explore causal patterns in data sets (Qualitative Comparative Analysis; Explorative Statistics) and qualitative causal inference (Process Tracing, Realist evaluation), and methods to increase learning and empowerment (Participatory Evaluation).

Course aims Facilitators Who is it for How you’ll learn Outcomes

Learn how to design impact evaluations more effectively using a contribution analysis approach with our five-day in-person specialist training course.

Many development programmes have overlapping activities that are regularly adapted in collaboration with multiple partners to respond to ongoing changes in the operating environment.

Traditional impact evaluation methods that measure differences in baseline and endline outcomes are not well suited to deal with this complexity.

Contribution Analysis has emerged as a structured approach that is better able to address these real-world challenges. It consists of a stepwise, iterative process of refining Theory of Change. Mixed method research designs are used to verify the critical and contested assumptions.

You’ll be introduced to the strengths and weaknesses of several novel methods that can be used within a Contribution Analysis approach to impact evaluation, including methods to explore causal patterns in data sets (Qualitative Comparative Analysis; Explorative Statistics) and qualitative causal inference (Process Tracing, Realist evaluation), and methods to increase learning and empowerment (Participatory Evaluation).

This course is delivered by practice-based researchers, who have extensive experience applying these methods to their own major multi-year programmes. With combined decades of experience between them, to give you the most Up-to-date information on effective impact evaluation approaches. 

Dr Giel Ton is Research Fellow at IDS and co-leads the Centre for Development Impact (CDI). Specialising in research on governance mechanisms in agricultural value chains, he has published widely about the methodological challenges of impact evaluation of development interventions. He has implemented numerous applied research projects relating to business training, contract farming, export promotion and certification schemes, resulting in peer-reviewed publications. 

Dr Marina Apgar is Research Fellow at IDS and co-leads the Centre for Development Impact (CDI).  She has 20 years’ experience working in South and Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Pacific with marginalised communities and civil society organisations. Her focus is on exploring systemic drivers of oppression and how to achieve outcomes in the interest of marginalized people, through combining participatory action research and theory-based evaluation. 

Dr Mieke Snijder is a Research Fellow at IDS. She has over a decade of experience in designing and implementing methodologies to evaluate interventions for various underserved communities. Her doctoral research investigated the tensions between the use of participatory approaches and evaluation of complex community-based interventions with three Australian Aboriginal communities. 

Contribution Analysis is an important tool for anyone whose role requires them to evaluate the impact of international development programmes and interventions. This course will be particularly helpful for those working on complex programmes such as

  • Advocacy
  • Human rights
  • Private sector development
  • Peace building

Previous clients include consultants, academics, experienced independent evaluators, programme implementers, early-stage researchers interested in innovative and mixed research methods and evaluation commissioners such as policy makers.

We have worked with participants from Frontline AIDS, FCDO, Gatsby Foundation, GIZ, Global Affairs Canada; Korea Development Institute, Norwegian Red Cross, Rainforest Alliance, Save the Children USA, Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), World Agroforestry Centre and the World Food Programme.

IDS short courses provide a unique opportunity to bring your own challenges and experiences relating to your work or research for discussion, to learn from your peers and grow your professional network.

You’ll learn through a mixture of presentations plus Q&A, and individual and small group work around a set of case studies. As the course progresses, you’ll apply your knowledge incrementally – ending up with a ‘finished’ example of a strong, interlinked mixed-methods research design to verify the theory of change of a project or programme.

After completing this course you will be able to:

  • Understand current debates on impact evaluation methodologies.
  • Develop an evaluation design that responds to the evaluation questions and context
  • Choose appropriate methods to gather and analyse data to support conclusions about effectiveness.
  • Critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of the various evaluation approaches.
“The course structure was great, with a good mix of group work, theory, and opportunities to apply learning to your own work. The facilitators were approachable and set out a very good environment for learning.
“The course provided an overarching framework within which to view different impact evaluation methods.
“Being primarily a quantitative researcher, I now feel more confident in applying qualitative methods.

Course aims

To equip individuals and organisations to design impact evaluations using a contribution analysis framing more effectively.

Who should attend?

Contribution Analysis is an important tool for anyone whose role requires them to evaluate the impact of international development programmes and interventions.

This course will be particularly helpful for those working on complex programmes such as

  • Advocacy
  • Human rights
  • Private sector development
  • Peace building

Previous clients include consultants, academics, experienced independent evaluators, programme implementers, early-stage researchers interested in innovative and mixed research methods and evaluation commissioners such as policy makers.

We have worked with participants from Frontline AIDS, FCDO, Gatsby Foundation, GIZ, Global Affairs Canada; Korea Development Institute, Norwegian Red Cross, Rainforest Alliance, Save the Children USA, Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), World Agroforestry Centre and the World Food Programme.

IDS short courses provide a unique opportunity to bring your own challenges and experiences relating to your work or research for discussion, to learn from your peers and grow your professional network.

How you will learn

You’ll learn through a mixture of presentations plus Q&A, and individual and small group work around a set of case studies. As the course progresses, you’ll apply your knowledge incrementally – ending up with a ‘finished’ example of a strong, interlinked mixed-methods research design to verify the theory of change of a project or programme.

Learning Outcomes

At completing this course you will be able to:

  • Understand current debates on impact evaluation methodologies.
  • Develop an evaluation design that responds to the evaluation questions and context
  • Choose appropriate methods to gather and analyse data to support conclusions about effectiveness.
  • Critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of the various evaluation approaches.

Why study this course with IDS?

  • This course is delivered by practice-based researchers, who have extensive experience applying these methods to their own major multi-year programmes. With combined decades of experience between them, to give you the most up-to-date information on effective impact evaluation approaches.
  • Dr Giel Ton is Research Fellow at IDS and co-leads the Centre for Development Impact (CDI). Specialising in research on governance mechanisms in agricultural value chains, he has published widely about the methodological challenges of impact evaluation of development interventions. He has implemented numerous applied research projects relating to business training, contract farming, export promotion and certification schemes, resulting in peer-reviewed publications. 
  • Dr Marina Apgar is Research Fellow at IDS and co-leads the Centre for Development Impact (CDI).  She has 20 years’ experience working in South and Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Pacific with marginalised communities and civil society organisations. Her focus is on exploring systemic drivers of oppression and how to achieve outcomes in the interest of marginalized people, through combining participatory action research and theory-based evaluation. 
  • Dr Mieke Snijder is a Research Fellow at IDS. She has over a decade of experience in designing and implementing methodologies to evaluate interventions for various underserved communities. Her doctoral research investigated the tensions between the use of participatory approaches and evaluation of complex community-based interventions with three Australian Aboriginal communities. 

Location and building accessibility

This is an in-person short course, so please visit our contact page for information on how to get to IDS. Please also check the building accessibility information if required.

Contact us

Key information

Venue
Institute of Development Studies Library Road Brighton BN1 9RE UK

Register your interest

Register your interest for future versions of this course

Email short courses

Key contacts

Marie Uwase
Marie Uwase

Short Course Coordinator

M.Uwase@ids.ac.uk

+44 1273 915621

Course staff

Giel Ton
Giel Ton

Research Fellow

Marina Apgar
Marina Apgar

Research Fellow

Mieke Snijder
Mieke Snijder

Research Fellow

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