Developmental Evaluation (DE) can be used to evaluate innovative initiatives in complex, dynamic environments, including a range of fields and international settings.
Join Michael Quinn Patton and Mark Cabaj for a conversation on DE, what it takes to do this work, and the results that can be expected. And get a preview of the case studies, learnings and principles shared in Michael’s new book, Developmental Evaluation Examplars: Principles in Practice.
Register for the event
“The field has been waiting for a book like this one. A well-balanced, diverse set of authors focus on good examples of DE practice. The book shows how innovative projects and programs require evaluation practices and approaches that honor complexity, flexibility, and systems thinking. It describes with clarity how DE actually happens in complex ecologies and settings across the globe." - Rodney Hopson, PhD, College of Education and Human Development, George Mason University
Speakers
About Michael Quinn Patton
Michael Patton, with more than 45 years experience as an evaluator, is a generalist who uses all kinds of methods, especially mixed methods, and focuses on adapting the design to the situation, intended uses, and intended users to maximize use -- utilization-focused evaluation, the approach he pioneered in the 1970's. He has worked with organizations and programs at the international, national, state, and local levels, and with philanthropic, not-for-profit, private sector, and government programs. He has worked with peoples from many different cultures and perspectives. As a generalist he has worked across the full range of efforts at improving human effectiveness and results, including programs in leadership development, education, human services, the environment, public health, employment, agricultural extension, food systems, human rights, early childhood, arts, criminal justice, anti-poverty programs, transportation, diversity, managing for results, performance indicators, effective governance, and futuring. His recent work has focused on developmental evaluation and principles-driven evaluation, both of which he pioneered, and are based on complexity theory and systems thinking. Michael is also co-author of Getting to Maybe: How the World Is Changed with Frances Westley and Brenda Zimmerman.
About Mark Cabaj
Mark Cabaj is an Associate of Tamarack and Vibrant Communities and President of the company From Here to There. Mark’s current focus is on developing practical ways to assist groups to understand, plan and evaluate policies, programs and initiatives that address complex issues. This includes challenges such as neighbourhood renewal, poverty and homelessness, community safety, educational achievement and health. He is particularly focused on expanding the ideas and practice of developmental evaluation, a new approach to evaluation which emphasizes learning and design thinking in emerging and sometimes fast-moving environments.
