What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory?

March 8, 2022 jamorell Coordination in organizations, What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory?

What Does Complexity Have to Say About the Learning Organization?

This is the text of a post I recently contributed to Evaltalk, the listserv of the American Evaluation Association. Organizational Learning as Adaptation I see organizational learning in terms of potential for adaptation in a changing environment. Environments can change rapidly or slowly, which makes for two different kinds of adaptive capacity. (I’m a big … Continue reading What Does Complexity Have to Say About the Learning Organization?

June 28, 2021 jamorell Uncategorized, What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory?

How Might Complexity Science Inform the Design and Conduct of Evaluation?

I’m considering pitching a special issue to an evaluation journal titled: How Might Complexity Science Inform the Design and Conduct of Evaluation? I have not committed to this project yet, but I do want to get the idea out there. I’m looking for: 1) critique of this idea, 2) specific topics to cover, 3) friendly … Continue reading How Might Complexity Science Inform the Design and Conduct of Evaluation?

April 11, 2021 jamorell What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory?

Applying Complexity to Evaluation: Case Based on the GEF’s Resilient Food Systems Program: Integrated Landscape Management to Enhance Food Security and Ecosystem Resilience

Applying Complexity to Evaluation: Case Based on the GEF’s Resilient Food Systems Program: Integrated Landscape Management to Enhance Food Security and Ecosystem Resilience.

March 19, 2021 jamorell What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory?

Coming Soon (Just don’t ask me exactly what “soon” means.) Applying Complexity to Evaluation: Cases Based on the Global Environment Facility’s Resilient Food Systems Program

Applying Complexity to Evaluation: Cases Based on the Global Environment Facility’s Resilient Food Systems Program

October 20, 2020 jamorell What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory?

Development Trajectories, Complexity Thinking and Theories of Change

This article builds on a previous contribution to this blog identifying a set of complex adaptive systems that are particularly useful in the formulation of theories of change (TOCs).

September 1, 2020 jamorell What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory?

Applied Complexity: Theory and Practice of Human Systems Dynamics

My particular take on complexity and systems is called human systems dynamics (HSD). It is a field of theory and practice that applies principles of complex adaptive systems to help people see, understand, and influence emergent patterns in complex human systems.

August 24, 2020 jamorell What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory?

Creating change in complex systems: the role of phase space

In this piece I introduce the concept of phase space (interchangeable with term ‘state space’).
Within a Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) understanding of how systems change over time, I argue that phase space is important for designing interventions within a CAS.

August 18, 2020August 24, 2020 jamorell What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory?

Applying the complexity concept of “sensitive dependence” to understanding how a program works

Jonathan (Jonny) A Morell President, 4.669… Evaluation and Planning jamorell@jamorell.com blog YouTube This is the first of what I hope will be many posts that show how specific constructs from complexity science can be useful for doing evaluation. There will only be many posts if others contribute. Please do. What complex behavior is this post … Continue reading Applying the complexity concept of “sensitive dependence” to understanding how a program works

August 13, 2020 jamorell What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory?

We Can’t Include Everything and Everyone. So, what to do? On Boundaries

Boundaries as a system term that is useful in Evaluation. Part of a series on how system and complex behaviors can be used in designing and doing evaluation.

August 3, 2020August 3, 2020 jamorell What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory?

Autopoiesis

Part of a series on how research and theory in systems and complexity can be useful in evaluation. Autopoiesis is one of my favorite systems concepts because of its importance in helping us understand a crucial difference between mechanistic systems and living systems.