For the past five years, jdcPartnerships has more deeply and intentionally integrated an evaluative mindset to our work with our client partners. We state as such in our philosophy “Evaluative inquiry is a process and tool for informing and strengthening decisions, enhancing learning and increasing effectiveness (See full set of values and philosophy).

That is not to say that we do not value and support evaluation. We do. But it has been our experience that the art and science of being evaluative creates and supports a culture of systematic and purposeful inquiry, reflection and informed decision-making that strengthens alignment in support of impact. We see evaluation as part of being evaluative. Both of which should clearly support strategy and inform the business model.

What do we mean by Evaluative?  An organization that reaches beyond performance measurement and monitoring to embrace the relentless pursuit of quality and value by thinking and acting evaluatively to improve organizational performance. (W Martz, University Michigan)

In reflecting on our work and that of our clients, five practices surface as instrumental to moving towards an evaluative mindset. Note, that these are not about “capacity building” led by a consultant but really speak to an organizations’ willingness and readiness to ask itself some hard questions about what is getting in the way and what is working in service of “to what end.”

1.  Know Thyself
2. Leverage and Link Your Efforts
3. Don’t Confuse What You Do with the Difference You Make
4. Differentiate What You Want, Need to and Can Know
5. Be Systematic Not Episodic

Over the next few weeks we will share more about each practice and some examples from our clients about their journey and the changes resulting from adopting these practices.

2012 is a year caught between the promise of the future and the endeavors of the past. In many cultures, 2012 marks the end of world. It’s also a leap year, providing us with an additional 24 hours and conflicting tales of good luck and bad. What would happen if we put a positive spin on the myths of fortune and apocalypse by marking 2012 not as an end of times but as the beginning a new world?

We have the power to create a world in which the journey towards social equity becomes the central and unifying theme across social and philanthropic sectors, and in which civil society demands social accountability of its elected officials and policy makers. In this new world, strategy, intention, reflection and adaptive decision-making become the norm. And in 2012 we have an extra 24 hours to dedicate our efforts to make this story a reality.

Already three weeks in to the year, we are sensing a change in the environment. Our discussions with consultant colleagues and client partners (past and potential) are increasingly exploring the synergies between evaluative thinking, strategy and planning as critical practices which if adopted by and integrated in to the culture of organizations, alliances, collaborations and networks can better align and leverage their efforts towards shared outcomes. It’s an exciting time that will bring with it both success and failure but if you don’t push the envelope and try new things, what will ever change?

• The jdcP Team is presented at the annual American Evaluator Association conference on November 3rd:
  • Evaluation and Strategy (Chicken, Egg or Something Different?): Using an Evaluation Framework to Refine a Set of Integrated Initiatives
  • Exploring How Values, Identity and Gender Influence Evaluator Approach and Role
  • An Embedded Theory of Change: How One Organization Embraced Their Theory of Change as the Core Framework for Evaluation, Strategy and Decision-making
• Jara is participating in CompassPoint’s Webinar Week: Evaluation is Your Friend and a Powerful Tool on February 19th at 9:30 AM