1. The Big Picture Archives - Evaluation and Transformation

1. The Big Picture

By Zenda Ofir - October 9, 2025 - 1. The Big Picture

Beyond One Universal Model In Part 1 of this two-post series I argued that the current dominant narratives about human rights, ...

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We Have to Rethink Human Rights, Part 1

By Zenda Ofir - October 3, 2025 - 1. The Big Picture

How would you react if I told you that 'universal human rights' are not actually universal at all, but rather a ...

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Evaluation’s Journey towards the Future, Part 6. Evaluating yesterday’s world for tomorrow’s challenges?

By Zenda Ofir - May 29, 2025 - 1. The Big Picture, 5. Evaluation as Practice

* Why are we still evaluating yesterday's world to plan for tomorrow's challenges? Evaluation after evaluation that land on my desk ...

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“What went wrong with woke?” The problem of measurement and influence.

By Zenda Ofir - April 3, 2025 - 1. The Big Picture

How twisted narratives and simplistic measures can destroy a major effort to do good. What does this mean for evaluation / MEL? ...

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Eight Reasons for Hope and Optimism. And why we need to seize this moment.

By Zenda Ofir - March 19, 2025 - 1. The Big Picture

Despite Trump's bulldozing of the world, and the vulnerabilities, uncertainties and trauma affecting many societies, this time of polycrisis is also a ...

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Seven Reasons for Outrage. And why anger is not the answer.

By Zenda Ofir - March 19, 2025 - 1. The Big Picture

In our hyperconnected world it is hard to escape bad news. It is easy to get distressed or angry, yet we ...

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The Power(lessness) of Evaluation: The case of Afghanistan

By Zenda Ofir - September 1, 2021 - 1. The Big Picture, 3. Bridging Cultures and Contexts

Thanks to more than 60 evaluation reports over 13 years by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), we have a ...

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Mission-oriented Evaluation

By Zenda Ofir - April 11, 2021 - 1. The Big Picture

We need Mission Thinking, Moonshot Thinking, and Mission-Oriented Evaluation if we are to ensure evaluation is fit for purpose for this era. ...

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We Have to Rethink Human Rights, Part 2

By Zenda Ofir - October 9, 2025 - 1. The Big Picture

Beyond One Universal Model In Part 1 of this two-post series I argued that the current dominant narratives about human rights, ...

Read More →

We Have to Rethink Human Rights, Part 1

By Zenda Ofir - October 3, 2025 - 1. The Big Picture

How would you react if I told you that 'universal human rights' are not actually universal at all, but rather a ...

Read More →

Evaluation’s Journey towards the Future, Part 6. Evaluating yesterday’s world for tomorrow’s challenges?

By Zenda Ofir - May 29, 2025 - 1. The Big Picture, 5. Evaluation as Practice

* Why are we still evaluating yesterday's world to plan for tomorrow's challenges? Evaluation after evaluation that land on my desk ...

Read More →

“What went wrong with woke?” The problem of measurement and influence.

By Zenda Ofir - April 3, 2025 - 1. The Big Picture

How twisted narratives and simplistic measures can destroy a major effort to do good. What does this mean for evaluation / MEL? ...

Read More →

Eight Reasons for Hope and Optimism. And why we need to seize this moment.

By Zenda Ofir - March 19, 2025 - 1. The Big Picture

Despite Trump's bulldozing of the world, and the vulnerabilities, uncertainties and trauma affecting many societies, this time of polycrisis is also a ...

Read More →