The purpose of this course is to provide new and experienced evaluation professionals and funders with strategies, tools and skills to: (1) develop realistic evaluation plans; (2) negotiate needed adjustments when issues arise; (3) organize and manage evaluation teams; (4) monitor evaluation activities and budgets; (5) protect evaluation independence and rigor while responding to client needs; and (6) ensure the quality of evaluation products and briefings.
Evaluation managers have a complex job: they oversee the evaluation process and are responsible for safeguarding the methodological integrity, evaluation activities, and budgets. In many cases they must also manage people, including clients, various stakeholders, and other evaluation team members. Evaluation managers shoulder the responsibility for the success of the evaluation, frequently dealing with unexpected challenges, and making decisions that influence the quality and usefulness of the evaluation.
Against a backdrop of demanding technical requirements and a dynamic political environment, the goal of evaluation management is to develop, with available resources and time, valid and useful measurement information and findings, and ensure the quality of the process, products and services included in the contract. Management decisions influence methodological decisions and vice versa, as method choice has cost implications.
The course methodology will be experiential and didactic, drawing on participants’ experience and engaging them with diverse material. It will include paper and online tools for managing teams, work products and clients; an in-class simulation game with expert judges; case examples; reading; and a master checklist of processes and sample forms to organize and manage an evaluation effectively. At the end of this training, participants will be prepared to follow a systematic process with support tools for commissioning and managing evaluations, and will feel more confident to lead evaluation teams and negotiate with clients and evaluators for better evaluations.
December 5, 7, 12, & 14, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9-12 am EST