07-May-2020
Tell me about one of your recent memorable evaluation experiences
A memorable evaluation experience for me was task managing the Evaluation of the Quality of Supervision and Exit of the Bank’s operations as well as being a team member of the overall evaluation report on the Quality Assurance of the Bank’s operations Across the Project Cycle in 2018. This evaluation was an important one in that it had a time bound implication for the discussion of the African Development Fund’s 15th replenishment and a capital increase request for the Bank. The evaluations, which began in October 2017, were to be delivered by October 2018. The evaluation is among the few IDEV evaluations to adopt an extensive participatory and user focused evaluation approach. The evaluation was very well received and has been very useful to inform the Bank’s actions to improve the quality of its operations through an approved action plan.
What do you do before any evaluation?
I engage in an extensive stakeholder consultation before any evaluation. These engagements are to ensure that the evaluation is addressing key issues that will inform learning and decision-making. The stakeholder consultation is not limited to internal stakeholders but any relevant stakeholder, both external and within the Bank that could benefit from the evaluation or could influence the usefulness of the evaluation.
What do you bring with you on your field missions in conducting an evaluation?
My field missions involve a team of experts relevant to the evaluation subject. I make sure the team includes a general analyst to support the data collection activities such as recording data types, checking the data and providing overall logistical support. I ensure respect for protocols, consideration of cultural sensitivity, and high consideration for personal security throughout the mission. On a personal note, I emphasize on personal well-being and safety during field missions. A constant practice is to carry comfortable walking shoes and appropriate protective wear for the different locations.
What is the most important lesson you learned from the recent evaluations you have carried out?
The most important lesson I learned is the importance of considering the country context and ensuring that this is built into the planning of the evaluation particularly in country program evaluations. The country evaluations should include a thorough contextual analysis during the scoping mission. The findings from the scoping activities should be critically incorporated into the overall planning and management of the evaluation. For example, in the case of Egypt Country Strategy and Program Evaluation (CSPE), we had to undertake two scoping missions instead of the usual one scoping mission per CSPE due to security clearance requirements before engaging with any government institution in the country.
What should an evaluator avoid doing during an evaluation?
An evaluator should avoid breaches of standard evaluation ethics that could pose a high risk to the usefulness and use of the evaluation. An important one for me is data use including dissemination and communication. An evaluator should avoid presenting preliminary findings to external actors before engaging with the primary source or the key informant stakeholders who may need to validate the facts and clear up any possible misinterpretation or misrepresentation of information.
How can we strengthen evaluation practice?
What comes immediately to mind in response to this question is building on evaluation standards such as developing rigorous design, approaches and methods, focusing on users and intended users of evaluation by planning according to the anticipated timeline of influence, and fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders.
How do you think evaluation will evolve?
Evaluation will evolve through the persistent appetite for fit-for-purpose evaluations and flexibility. This also calls for a high need for adaptation based on context and specific needs. For example, the evaluation marketplace is changing rapidly with the rise of technological evolution and this wind of change presents new challenges and opportunities.
What changes will we see?
New technology will make evaluation more complex, yet faster: for example, mobile platforms for collecting data, big data, block chain, drone, Geographic Information System (GIS). The challenge then is the ability to move along and keep the pace with innovative techniques and tools by changing how we think, train, work and use data.
What do you like the most in your job?
What I like most in my job is the depth of knowledge gained through the diverse issues that are addressed in the different evaluations I do (for example: corporate evaluations, country evaluations, thematic evaluations). Most importantly, the lessons and experiences fulfil my passion for continuous learning and knowledge sharing.