Evaluation in an Era of Accountability

Abstract

In “The Case for Participatory Evaluation in an Era of Accountability” (this issue), Jill Chouinard highlights seven tensions between the participatory and technocratic approaches to evaluation. She suggests that there is a need to create opportunities for more participatory approaches to evaluation. In this essay, I suggest that the era of accountability has actually created unexpected opportunities for participatory and meaningful evaluation. These include: encouraging organizations to use evidence-based practices and be more deliberate about program strategy; identifying common outcomes and indicators for program managers to adopt and use; and using accountability mandates to create opportunities for capacity building and organizational learning. I also describe how evaluators can use the current focus on outcomes and impact to create opportunities to have broader discussions about the benefits of other types of evaluation.