Working with Assumptions in International Development Program Evaluation

 Regardless of geography or goal, development programs and policies are fueled by a complex network of implicit ideas. Stakeholders may hold assumptions about purposes, outcomes, methodology, and the value of project evaluation and evaluators—which may or may not be shared by the evaluators. Even when all participants share goals, failure to recognize and articulate assumptions can impede clarity and derail progress.

Working with Assumptions in International Development Program Evaluation probes their crucial role in planning, and their contributions in driving, global projects involving long-term change. Drawing on his extensive experience in the field, the author offers elegant logic and instructive examples to relate assumptions to the complexities of program design and implementation, particularly in weighing their outcomes. The book emphasizes clarity of purpose, respect among collaborators, and collaboration among team members who might rarely or never meet otherwise. Importantly, the book is a theoretical and practical volume that:

·          Introduces the multiple layers of assumptions on which global interventions are based.

·          Explores various approaches to the evaluation of complex interventions, with their underlying assumptions.

·          Identifies ten basic types of assumptions and their implications for program development andevaluation.

·          Provides examples of assumptions influencing design, implementation, and evaluation of development projects.

·          Offers guidelines in identifying, explicating, and evaluating assumptions

A first-of-its-kind resource, Working with Assumptions in International Development Program Evaluation opens out the processes of planning, implementation, and assessment for professionals in global development, including practitioners, development economists, global development program designers, and nonprofit personnel.