aes19 International Evaluation Conference

This presentation is a merge of the two listed below and contains a free-ranging discussion on evaluator competencies,


Advanced Tips For Commissioning and Managing High-Quality, Useful Evaluation 
Jane Davidson (Real Evaluation LLC),Tessie Catsambas (Encompass LLC)

What are the most important traps to avoid and tips for commissioning and managing high-quality, value-for-money evaluation? This interactive panel session will be an informative helicopter tour for evaluation commissioners, evaluation team leaders, and internal and external professionals who oversee or manage evaluation projects. It will provide: (1) a deeper appreciation of the role of evaluation management in commissioning and delivering high-quality, value-for-money evaluations; (2) an overview of the role and essential competencies of evaluation managers; and (3) sample strategies and tools for commissioning and managing better and more useful evaluations for organizational learning and stronger leadership. Participants are invited to share their own experiences and engage in a highly interactive discussion with the presenters, who will draw on decades of practical experience leading both large international multi-country evaluations and small-team and solo evaluation projects, as well as providing advice to client organizations on how to scope, commission, and manage highly effective evaluations.

Unpacking the competencies - in theory and practice
 
Amy Gullickson (University of Melbourne Centre for Program Evaluation), Delyth Lloyd (Department of Health and Human Service), Sue Leahy (ARTD)

The AES Professional Learning Competency Framework was developed in 2012 and in 2019, the Learning and Professional Practice Committee engaged the AES community in research with the intention to update the competency set. The goal was to assess the framework in relation to what evaluation theorists have discussed in the literature about what skills and knowledge are needed for evaluation practice. In this interactive session, we'll report out on recent theoretical work in this area, the findings to date of the community research project, get community feedback on the findings so far and their relevance to evaluation practice, and discuss next steps.