Les dispositifs de la participation aux étapes stratégiques de l’évaluation

Abstract

A growing number of tools are now available to enhance the validity and social relevance of knowledge produced through the participatory spaces that program evaluation makes possible. Tools that facilitate a shared understanding of a program and its results are of this nature. However, evaluation teams are generally less equipped to support participation through the strategic processes of planning an evaluation or of redesigning a program based on evaluation results. This article presents social and technical processes that can enhance the participation of actors from the program system in these strategic choices. In addition to the usual tools that support program modeling mechanisms and validation of research results, the instruments presented address the implementation of a participatory space, choice of evaluation questions, assessment of findings, and purposeful deliberation on future program directions. These instruments enhance the social contribution of evaluation by introducing greater rationality in participatory evaluation.