ABSTRACT
Theory-based evaluation can clarify the focus, scope, and methodology of an evaluation project while building shared understanding and trust between evaluators and their clients. The application of theory-based approaches in evaluation can help teams work remotely on evaluation projects through online co-development of artefacts, such as theories of change, that facilitate the communication and capture of key aspects of evaluation. This essay considers how theory-based evaluation can facilitate remote collaboration between evaluators and clients, how it involves an iterative process for obtaining conceptual clarity about the evaluation focus and context, and how theory-based evaluation can be applied to deliver learnings throughout an evaluation project to drive programme improvements. Two student practicum projects showed how theory-based approaches, applied entirely online using a highly engaging, iterative, and collective learning approach, allowed new evaluators to structure evaluation planning, implementation, and reporting that produced important insights and met client needs. An iterative engagement process, used in developing, testing, and adjusting theories, created a space for dialogue that helped to form collective insights that were produced as part of the study process in each case. This helped decision makers in real time and provided an excellent generative learning experience for the teams of student evaluators involved.
