Have Development Evaluators Been Fighting the Last War… And If So, What is to be Done?

Abstract

What are the right evaluation methods and what evaluation strategy adapted to contemporary development issues should such methods serve? This article argues that a range of methods and tools must be drawn upon to achieve high?quality evaluation standards and that even the best methods cannot compensate for a misguided strategy. For both sets of reasons, it is time for the current craze for experimental evaluation methods in international development to give way. In its place a mix of evaluation methods informed by a relevant evaluation research agenda should be adopted and put at the service of evaluation policy directions that reflect contemporary development prospects and dilemmas.