TOR141: The Power Of The Impact Evaluation Revolution With David Evans Of The World Bank

I invite you to pause just for a second and take a moment to think about the last time you changed your mind about something. Specifically, I'd like for you to identify something that was either very important to you or your worldview, or something that you had taken for granted, that today you have either the complete opposite or at least a very different perspective on. Got it? Now ask yourself, what was it that made you change your mind? And, again specifically, what evidence did you unearth, or were presented with, that made the case for changing your mind? For most of us, a profound change of mind doesn't happen very often, but when it does, the effects of such a change alter lives, communities, and entire belief systems. As a final step in this exercise, I'd like for you to think about the core beliefs you have about the work you do in the social impact sector, and what you expect that work will help achieve for people in need. Now, ask yourself, what would it take to alter those beliefs - even if it meant radically shifting the entire system for how you've expected to serve others? I wanted to start with this exercise because in today's 140th episode of the terms of reference podcast, I'd be discussing the revolution being brought about through the practice of impact evaluation. Impact evaluation holds the promise of confirming, or refuting, the effectiveness of the practices, processes and systems we rely upon in humanitarian and development programming to help those in need. My guest for this show, David Evans, knows a thing or two about impact evaluations. He is a Lead Economist in the Chief Economist's Office for the Africa Region of the World Bank where he coordinates impact evaluation work across agriculture, education, health, and social protection in more countries than most people will visit in their lifetimes. I know you're going to love this show as we discuss how we can design evaluations to learn more, how to make evaluation real time, and, ultimately how do you create an evaluation that will succeed - even if you're working for a small NGO.