ABSTRACT
Evaluation can make an important contribution to improving an organisational development intervention, as well as potentially providing evidence of what works best in what kind of situation. Evaluation may be undertaken as part of an organisational development intervention itself (involving regular reflection on or review of progress), alongside the intervention (embedded evaluation) or as an external, separately commissioned activity (full scale or external evaluation). There are, however, challenges to undertaking an evaluation as part of an organisational development intervention, which is perhaps the reason for the lack of published evaluation reports in this field. Some of the terms and language used in evaluation can also be confusing – this chapter introduces some key concepts and terms that are useful to the organisational development consultant. Specialist expertise is particularly important if there is a desire – or pressure – to undertake a sophisticated evaluation that can clearly demonstrate outcomes, and the way in which the organisational development achieved these outcomes. Although evaluation uses methods and approaches drawn from the field of research, it is also a dynamic and challenging activity that benefits from consultancy skills and experience. Building good relationships with all parts of the ‘system’ including funders, those working in the field and wider stakeholders, is the key to a successful evaluation.
