ABSTRACT
Evaluation has established itself as an essential component in the development lexicon. From the parliaments and boardrooms of funders to government offi ces, from multilateral donors to NGOs, and from the classrooms of top universities to the tabloid press, everyone demands to know how money was spent, whether project objectives were met, and whether the project was implemented as planned. These questions are legitimate, but is the methodology used appropriate, and are the right questions being asked at the right time? We propose that much more emphasis should be placed on local control and addressing problems as they occur rather than waiting for fi ndings of evaluations which often occur many years later.
