Measurement and Complexity: Why, How, and For Whom Do We Measure?

United Nations Development Programme’s Innovation Unit

UNDP has set up a monitoring and evaluation sandbox to nurture and learn from new ways of doing monitoring and evaluation that are coherent with the complex nature of the challenges facing the world today. The Sandbox prioritizes action and practical insights ‘from the front lines’ about how to do it, rather than abstract theory and general principles (though those are important too!).

Theory of Change Workbook (Webinar – 8:30 a.m. Eastern, Nov 16).

Social Impact

Theories of Change are foundational to program design and implementation and yet very few resources exist to help development practitioners develop strong theories of change. Learn how to use the workbook to help create stronger theories of change that are locally-driven and context-specific. 

Let’s Talk Performance: Making Government Work

National Center for Public Performance (webinar – 3 p.m. Eastern, Nov 17)

Webinar features authors Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene, with moderator Monica Croskey Chaparro. Email ncppsuffolk@gmail.com to register.

Evaluation & Auditing: Lessons Overseeing DATA Act

Data Foundation and U.S. Government Accountability Office (Webinar – 1 p.m., Eastern, Nov 30)

These evaluations of how agencies implemented the DATA Act are examples of how GAO and the IG community support, coordinate, and leverage evaluative activities . . .  Taken as a whole, these evaluations also provide powerful examples of the benefits and challenges of conducting “real time” audits of a complex, government-wide reform initiative.

The Triumph and Tribulations of Performance Management

International Journal of Public Administration (Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene) – Gated access

This essay builds a case for the power of performance management to aid in making positive change, while also focusing on some of the biggest challenges leaders in this field have confronted. It also includes a series of principles designed to help overcome or avoid these challenges.

New Bill Would Increase State & Local Government Transparency

Accounting Today

The Financial Data Transparency Act (S.4295) takes a major step toward openness and accessibility by directing seven financial regulators to develop “machine-readable” data standards that accurately reflect the existing reporting standards. So, it is surprising that this transparency measure has attracted stiff opposition when it has proven so successful in corporate reporting.

Resource of the Week:  Catalog of Administrative Data Sets

J-PAL North America

Administrative data are information collected, used, and stored primarily for administrative (i.e., operational), rather than research, purposes. These data can be an excellent source of information for use in research and impact evaluation. Specific requirements and processes for obtaining data vary by data source.