Strategic Policy Evaluation – anzea session handout

In May 2010, Nan Wehipeihana and I did a presentation for the anzea Regional Symposium in Wellington. Here are the slides from the session (see link at the bottom), for those who may be interested.

Strategic Policy Evaluation: Answering macro-level cross-project questions

Abstract:

Policy-relevant, strategic evaluation asks (and answers) questions that go beyond the evaluation of a single initiative. It addresses such questions as: (1) What is the value of a particular policy initiative as a contributor to strategic policy outcomes? (2) How well does each policy initiative fit with and complement the other initiatives that make up the strategic policy mix? Are there any unnecessary overlaps? (3) What is the collective value of the suite of initiatives that have been deployed to achieve a particular strategic outcome? (4) Have we got the right mix to deliver on the key outcomes? (5) Which approaches to achieving key long-term outcomes are working most cost-effectively for whom, under what conditions, and why? This session uses a current case (evaluation of Ka Hikitia, the Ministry of Education’s Māori education strategy, to outline some specific strategies to help ensure evaluation delivers high quality, truly useful information to calibrate macro-level policy – and to incisively inform Ministers on policy effectiveness.

Click to download a PDF copy of the workshop handout.

Strategic Policy Evaluation: Answering macro-level cross-project questions (Wellington, May 5, 2010)

What: Strategic Policy Evaluation: Answering macro-level cross-project questions

Presenters: Nan Wehipeihana & E. Jane Davidson

Hosted by: anzea Regional Symposium

Location: Te Puni Kōkiri House, Wellington

When: May 5, 2010, time TBA

How to sign up: Registrations are due Thurs April 21st! (click link to open PDF brochure & registration form)

Abstract:

Policy-relevant, strategic evaluation asks (and answers) questions that go beyond the evaluation of a single initiative. It addresses such questions as: (1) What is the value of a particular policy initiative as a contributor to strategic policy outcomes? (2) How well does each policy initiative fit with and complement the other initiatives that make up the strategic policy mix? Are there any unnecessary overlaps? (3) What is the collective value of the suite of initiatives that have been deployed to achieve a particular strategic outcome? (4) Have we got the right mix to deliver on the key outcomes? (5) Which approaches to achieving key long-term outcomes are working most cost-effectively for whom, under what conditions, and why? This session will outline five key elements needed to position and effectively engage with the evaluation function so that it delivers high quality, truly useful information to calibrate macro-level policy – and to incisively inform Ministers on policy effectiveness.


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Past Publications (pre-2010)

The following is a list of selected publications, some of which are accessible online. In addition, many more recent short pieces are available on Jane Davidson and   Patricia Rogers’ joint blog, http://GenuineEvaluation.com, as well as on this site.

Davidson, E. J. (2010, in press). Strategic evaluation of the workplace assessment program. In J. C. Scott & D. H. Reynolds (Eds.), The Handbook of Workplace Assessment: Evidence-based practices for selecting and developing organizational talent. SIOP Professional Practice Series. Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.

Davidson, E. J. (2010). “Process values” and “deep values” in evaluation, Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation, vol. 16(13), 182-192.

Wehipeihana, N., Davidson, E. J., McKegg, K., & Shanker, V. (2010). What does it take to do evaluation in communities and cultural contexts other than our own? Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation, vol. 16(13), 182-192.

Davidson, E. J. (2007). Unlearning some of our social scientist habits. Journal of Multidisciplinary Evaluation, 4(8), iii-vi.

Davidson, E. J., & Martineau, J. W. (2006). Strategic uses of evaluation. In J. W. Martineau, L. Merritt, & K. Hannum (Eds.), Leadership development evaluation handbook (pp. 433-463). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Davidson, E. J. (2006). The RCTs-only doctrine: Brakes on the acquisition of knowledge? Journal of Multidisciplinary Evaluation, 3(6), ii-v.

Davidson, E. J. (2006). The “baggaging” of theory-based evaluation. Journal of Multidisciplinary Evaluation, 3(4), iii-xiii.

Davidson, E. J. (2006). Some brief thoughts on organisational complexity and evaluation. Evalueringsnyt, 11, 22-26.

Davidson, E. J., Howe, M., & Scriven, M. (2004). Evaluative thinking for grantees. In M. T. Braverman, J. K. Slater, & N. A. Constantine (Eds.), Foundations and evaluation: Contexts and practices for effective philanthropy (pp. 259-280). Jossey-Bass.

Davidson, E. J. (2003). Linking organizational learning to the bottom line: Methodological issues, challenges, and suggestions. The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 6(1), 54-67.

Rose, D. S., & Davidson, E. J. (2003). Introduction to program evaluation. In J. E. Edwards, J. C. Scott, & N. S. Raju (Eds.), The human resources program evaluation handbook (pp. 3-26). Sage.

Sanders, J. R., & Davidson, E. J. (2003). A model for school evaluation. In D. L. Stufflebeam & T. E. Kellaghan (Eds.), International handbook of educational evaluation (pp. 807-826). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer.

Davidson, E. J. (2003). The program theory evangelists vs. the “theoro-skeptics”: Who’s right, when and why—and where to next? Mechanisms. [Newsletter of the Program Theory and Theory-Driven Evaluation TIG, American Evaluation Association.]

Davidson, E. J. (2002). Organizational evaluation: Issues and methods. In R. L. Lowman (Ed.), Handbook of organizational consulting psychology (pp. 344-369). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Davidson, E. J. (2002). The discipline of evaluation: A helicopter tour for I/O psychologists. The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 40(2), 31-35.

Davidson, E. J. (2000). Ascertaining causality in theory-based evaluation. New Directions for Evaluation, 87, 17-26.

Sathe, V., & Davidson, E. J. (2000). Toward a new conceptualization of culture change. In N. M. Ashkanasy, C. P. M. Wilderom, & M. F. Peterson (Eds.), Handbook of organizational culture and climate (pp. 279-296). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.