Six Takeaways on the State of Evaluation from #AEA2023

I’ve attended the American Evaluation Association (AEA) annual conference for the past nine years. During this time, the conference schedule has increasingly featured presentations on collaborative and participatory measurement and learning (MLE) for nonprofit social change programs. Continuing that trend, evaluators at AEA 2023 presented on MLE projects where they are serving as facilitators and …

The Alchemy of Regular Measurement

I bet you have a friend who owns an Apple watch, or a Garmin. Who keeps track of how many steps he’s taken before breakfast. Or how many vertical [feet? meters?] she’s skied in her morning on the slopes. Like me, did you think . . . what’s up with that? Is it making him …

New to Measurement and Learning for Social Change? Try the Five Questions

My mother left me my favorite kitchen tool: a small, serrated knife that peels, chops, and carves with ease. I reach for it first, before the dozen specialized knives in the block.  I bet you also have a best-loved household tool. Maybe a hammer that has the perfect heft and fits your hand just right. …