07-March-2022
1. Tell us about one of your most memorable recent evaluation experiences
Writing the first report of the Management Action Record System (MARS) on the implementation of IDEV's recommendations in 2020 was a recent memorable experience. This report came six years after the launch of the system by the Board of Directors.
The operationalization of the system has improved the automated computer system that underpins MARS, reduced delays in management action implementation, improved the quality of evidence provided by management, and removed recommendations that have already been implemented or are more than two years past their implementation deadline.
Lessons learned and recommendations on improving the take-up of IDEV recommendations were also included in the report. Now produced annually, the MARS report enables management to track and prioritize recommendations and follow-up on action implementation. It also assists the Board of Directors in its oversight role.
2. Would you say that evaluations are similar or each evaluation is unique?
Each evaluation is unique given the tools used and the differences in the projects or the Bank's portfolios. Furthermore, projects are managed according to the specific context of each country. Therefore, broad consultation is required during the evaluation process to facilitate the participation of the various stakeholders, collect data, understand the methodology, and foster ownership of the evaluations results (findings and recommendations).
3. Tell us about an evaluation that taught you a valuable lesson.
As Bank staff, we received a warm welcome and appreciation from the beneficiary populations during our visit during the impact evaluation of the Fufulso-Sawla road project in Ghana. The project has fundamentally changed the lives of people living along the road. This is something I've never seen before in my career. It shows that the most successful interventions are those that cater to the needs of the population as a whole. In this case, accessibility through road construction, health through the construction of dispensaries and a regional health center, schools, markets, etc.
4. How do you adapt the way you conduct an evaluation given the travel restrictions?
Conducting evaluations during the COVID-19 pandemic and facing travel restrictions, the Bank's country offices have played an invaluable role, particularly in connecting and mobilizing stakeholders for virtual meetings. We also strengthened our engagement with all stakeholders, ensuring they are better included in the evaluation process. Building stakeholder trust helped to facilitate discussions and collect the relevant data. We also employed local consultants for project site visits. Finally, the consolidation of results was facilitated by increased information triangulation. An evaluator should take special care to ensure that local consultants are competent and independent, with no ties to the projects and no conflicts of interest. Also, in many African countries, the culture of working remotely is relatively new, and the quality of the Internet connection is not yet satisfactory. Meetings must therefore be well-planned, with various communication tools available (Zoom, Skype, Teams, Whatsapp, etc.).
5. How can the evaluation practice be strengthened?
The design, tools, and indicators used in the evaluation should be harmonized, and a mechanism for recording the results of project evaluations set up to improve evaluation practice. The recordings will form a database for future rapid and cost-effective meta-analyses on new topics or shed new light on old ones.
6. How do you think evaluation practice will change? What changes will we see?
The advances in technology and systematic digitalization already allow the collection of very large volumes of data in record time and at a lower cost. In the coming years, evaluation practice will use "big data" and spatially localized data. Artificial intelligence through algorithms will then allow establishing quasi-experimental conclusions on the contribution of programs and policies to population or community outcomes. Furthermore, geolocation and the measurement of social interdependencies will provide new insights into the contribution of social mimetism and spillover effects to the outcomes of projects and programs.
7. What do you like most about your job?
I like the fact that evaluation demands scientific rigor and intellectual curiosity. But, above all, I enjoy the feeling of making a difference to my continent. It’s a privilege. Indeed, a well-conducted evaluation offers useful recommendations that, when implemented, will improve the outcomes of the Bank's projects, strategies, and programs, ultimately improving people's living conditions in Africa.