Zenda Ofir, Author at EVALUATION FOR DEVELOPMENT

Learning from China’s transformation. Part 4 – Dominant narratives, alternative perspectives

May 12, 2019 Zenda Ofir 0

**10 min read** We need fresh narratives about how the world works, and why, and what to do to solve its complex problems. We need ‘Two-eyed Seeing’. We need Nuance. Pluralism. Diversity. Alternative frameworks, models, worldviews, perspectives. This notion is ... Read more »

Learning from China’s transformation. Part 3 – Seeing through others’ eyes

May 9, 2019 Zenda Ofir 1

**5 min read** Some years ago I was on an evaluation assignment in the Mekong region, dealing with labour issues. In an interview in a (Western) embassy the diplomat vehemently argued that the population should vote the government out of ... Read more »

Learning from China’s transformation. Part 2 – Why NOT China? Towards an ‘ecological civilization’.

April 16, 2019 Zenda Ofir 0

**10 min read** As evaluators we cannot afford to get caught up in narratives – usually devoid of nuance – that aim to create negative mental models of a certain society. This second and also the third post in this ... Read more »

Learning from China’s transformation. Part 1 – Why China?

April 14, 2019 Zenda Ofir 5

Evaluators have an imperative to learn from success. Today we are fortunate: Those of us working in development or evaluation can learn from one of the greatest transformational development success stories of all time. For the first time in history ... Read more »

Snippet: How data visualisation can mislead

January 9, 2019 Zenda Ofir 4

**2 min read** We live in an era of ‘big data’ and ‘big information’. We work in an increasingly quantified world devoid of the nuance that qualitative information provides. We also live in an era of ‘scanning’. We don’t want ... Read more »

Snippet: Evaluation shelfies

January 6, 2019 Zenda Ofir 0

A while ago Michael Quinn Patton urged us in one of our Young and Emerging Evaluator posts to share the 10 evaluation classics that inspire us most. And now we have the great phenomenon on Twitter – #SHELFIES! That special ... Read more »

Evaluation for Transformation 3: What do you count as “success”?

December 18, 2018 Zenda Ofir 5

** 6 min read ** I have long thought that evaluators don’t define ‘success’ in meaningful ways. Now highly respected economist Matt Andrews has just released a very useful working paper that confirms how much more carefully we need to ... Read more »

Updating the DAC Criteria, Part 11 (FINAL). From Evaluation Criteria to Design Principles

October 13, 2018 Zenda Ofir 6

**10 min read** Evaluation criteria used in development contexts do not only show what evaluation commissioners, evaluators and other stakeholders value. They also provide an indication of the issues that could – and likely should – be a focus in ... Read more »