Evidence into Policy Guidance Note #8: Managing Evaluation Challenges

Managing Evaluation Challenges (Evidence into Policy Guidance Note #8) examines some of the key challenges faced when conducting an evaluation, as well as strategies to anticipate and mitigate problems, it builds on Guidance Note #3 titled: Evaluating Government-Funded Human Services, and Guidance Note #7 titled: Frameworks for Policy, Planning and Evaluation. A variety of potential challenges can arise at any stage of the evaluation process. This guidance note presents some of the common challenges faced at three distinct points in the evaluation process, along with ideas for addressing these challenges:

1. Challenges encountered when designing an evaluation, with a case study of the UK’s National Programme for IT which illustrates the potential consequences of poor planning

2. Challenges that may arise during the evaluation process, and

3. Challenges observed post-evaluation, with a case study of the Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme National Evaluation.

You can find previous volumes in the series here