Policy that is developed in response to clearly identified needs and through careful processes of community engagement – while being feasible in an adversarial political system and short timeframes? Time for the Hollowmen to show us how it can be … Continue reading
The comments shared in response to the earlier post, Culturally Competent Needs Assessment By An “Outsider” raise issues that are critical to the discipline of evaluation. Two things come to mind; a) reflections on how we define evaluation theory, and … Continue reading
Standard ‘mainstream’ belief is that one element of credibility as an evaluator comes from one’s independence and the perceived objectivity (lack of bias) that derives from that. Here in Aotearoa New Zealand, we often find the opposite is the case: … Continue reading
So you’ve put out an RFP for an evaluation of a policy, program or initiative intended to serve and effect positive change in a “minority” community. All the proposals look terribly impressive, and they all include “cultural experts” on the evaluation team. How can you distinguish the proposals that show a clear understanding of what it takes to do effective and culturally responsive evaluations from those that merely pay ‘lip service’ to cultural competence? Continue reading
In the medical profession in particular, there are some very rigid beliefs about what constitutes good enough “evidence of effectiveness” to justify offering, recommending, allowing patients to try, or even just not vehemently opposing a particular type of treatment for a patient.
There are some glimmers of hope in other sectors (e.g. in the Best Evidence Synthesis work here in New Zealand). But there are still three areas where there are very serious challenges in building a credible evidence base given the kinds of constraints and realities surrounding them. They are: (1) cutting-edge treatments; (2) treatments that are by their very nature tailored/individualized rather than standardized across patients or populations; and (3) learning what works for small sub-populations Continue reading
Jane at Real Evaluation
Patricia at CIRCLE (RMIT)