The proliferation of different methods and tools for organisational monitoring, evaluation, learning and accountability (MELA) can be a source of confusion and frustration. But the opportunity to compare and contrast their parallel evolution, and their strengths and weaknesses in different contexts can also be illuminating and useful. This has certainly been the case for me...
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The UK’s voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector spends around £40bn (NCVO UK Civil Society Almanac – https://data.ncvo.org.uk) on delivering services to some of the UK’s most marginalised communities and individuals. Like their counterparts in the global development sector, organisations in the UK voluntary sector face challenges in understanding their contribution to change and...
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The Aga Khan Foundation in Ottawa hosted James Copestake on 20th October to deliver a presentation on: Cautionary tales of complex causation: Qualitative and mixed method impact assessment of climate change and livelihood transformations in Africa A recording of the presentation is available, where you can see James Copestake talking about the background to the QuIP and...
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Whenever James Copestake or I present the QuIP methodology to a new audience we are always prepared for the first question: “Is the idea of blinding the field researchers ethical?”. Having now danced around the ‘means to an end’ response for a couple of years we are pleased to publish our latest working paper on...
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Anyone who has followed the fortunes of the Assessing Rural Transformations project since 2012 will know that the launch of our new website is a significant milestone for the QuIP. Qualitysocialimpact.org is now the online home and repository of resources related to the Qualitative Impact Protocol – thanks to a follow-on research grant from ESRC-DFID. Having a lasting presence...
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(Originally posted at Devlog@Bath) With field work complete, the ART Project is now in its final stages; workshops in Ethiopia and Malawi during July brought many of us together to reflect on what we have learnt, and on what to do next. Many thanks to all who participated, especially to staff of Farm Africa and...
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By Fiona Remnant (Originally posted at Devlog@Bath) One year, two countries, four pilots and eight increasingly cunning versions of the Excel spreadsheet further on – it’s time for an update on what the Assessing Rural Transformations team has been up to. Part of the answer is that we’ve been reminded (not for the first time) that...
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By James Copestake (Originally posted at Devlog@Bath) “I never publish anything that hasn’t been through five drafts” is what the celebrated economist Kenneth Galbraith reportedly said when asked the secret of his ability to write so well. Well, I confess this blog doesn’t meet his standard, but I can report that a sixth draft of the...
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