1. Complexity and Evaluation Report Out
Colin Kirk
Director, Evaluation Office UNICEF

2. New Ways of Thinking Cannot work within linear theories of change
There is no linear relationship between cause and effect
False dichotomy between thinking and doing
Should evaluation look more like monitoring?
What if communities owned both the implementation and monitoring of SDGs?
(does evaluation need to be independent?)

3. Insights from Complexity for Evaluation of SDGs

4. Systems Thinking Dimensions
Bob Williams and Sjon van’t Hof, Wicked Solutions: a systems approach to complex problems, , obwilliams.co. nz/Systems_R esources.html
Boundaries
Perspectives
Interactions

5. Boundaries We create boundaries with every definition and decision
In setting boundaries, should be careful and reflective
Who decides on the boundaries? Who is left out?
Trade off: narrow boundaries allow deeper study but leave people out

6. Perspectives
Stay open to many different perspectives beyond scope boundaries
Be mindful of the power balance in evaluation
Who decides? Who participates? Who speaks? Whose measures? Whose questions? Whose decisions?
Work through principles
Gender equality, human rights, ethics, equity

7. Interactions/Channels
The process is the outcome
We need different forms of communication for different stakeholders and purposes
Evaluation must understand dynamic interrelations in context – don’t assume
The scale of effort and cost may not be related to the scale of effect (reality gets in the way)

8. Implications for Evaluation of SDGs

9. New roles for evaluators
The evaluator illuminates the system to infuse accountability
Communities may play the role of evaluator and action researchers
Evaluator as facilitator
The Evaluator’s role as a Communicator
Advocate for evidence-based decisions

10. SDG-aware evaluation
Where will we learn these new ways of doing evaluation?
Expand the evidence universe – not just rely on Results-Based Management
Through evaluation, challenge expectations
Be clear for the audience and relevant to the discourse-get support from advocacy experts
Look for what is not there
Bring evaluators, policy makers, civil society together for collaborative learning

11. Policy Makers Policy is an “ongoing contract”
Democratic accountability never finishes
Evaluation should be a partner to policy
Localize the SDGs – starting with marginalized groups

12. FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY