What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory? – Page 3

July 2, 2020 jamorell What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory?

Traditions of ‘Complexity and Systems Science’?

"Traditions of ‘Complexity and Systems Science’?" is part of a series connecting evaluation theory and practice to research and theory as it has developed in the fields of complexity and systems.

May 27, 2020June 29, 2020 jamorell What do research and theory in complexity and systems tell us about evaluation practice and evaluation theory?

Constructing a Deep Complexity and Systems Science Foundation for the Field of Evaluation

Constructing a Deep Complexity and Systems Science Foundation for the Field of Evaluation Jonny Morell, PhD Meg Hargreaves PhD This section of the blog Evaluation Uncertainty, Surprises in Programs and their Evaluations is an effort to continue and expand prior work setting evaluation theory and evaluation practice within a deep understanding of complexity and systems … Continue reading Constructing a Deep Complexity and Systems Science Foundation for the Field of Evaluation

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.