About

This blog is my place to muse about evaluation:

how theory and practice relate to each other,
why programs have unintended consequences,
how to evaluate those unintended consequences,
how the behavior of complex systems affects our models, methodologies, and measurements, and
evaluation as a profession and as a discipline.

The common theme is that we are too frequently surprised by events we did not anticipate; with fires we must put out. My desire is to help develop a community of interest in moving from firefighting to anticipatory, systematic planning.

3 thoughts on “About”

Mohamad Hasan Mohaqeq Moein says:

December 28, 2010 at 6:42 am

salaam

please Notify me of new posts via email.

Mamnoon

Moein
rhonda schlangen says:

March 21, 2011 at 1:51 pm

Would love to follow this blog via email. Please add me to your distribution list. Thanks!
JJ Bernatas says:

July 23, 2019 at 7:54 pm

A vast majority of projects or programs are based on a set of modifications in an already existing complex system. Not surprising to see unexpected/unintended outcomes. And that’s why we need a different way of thinking to better anticipate what may happen and to chose the best options. Great initiative to help public health professionals to think differently

Comments are closed.

Eat dessert first. Life is uncertain.
Good advice. True observation.

Any yet, we must soldier on, trying to predict what will happen and to explain why things work out as they do. My professional life has grappled with prediction and explanation through the lens of program evaluation. I have come to appreciate how much, and how little, evaluation can tell us. Sometimes it is “much”. Sometime is “little”. Sometimes it is “much” and “little” at the same time. This blog expresses my engagement with what evaluation can do, what it cannot do, what it should do, and what it should not do. About the graphic.

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3 thoughts on “About”