Category: Evaluation
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MEAL Isn’t New – To Me…
The author reflects on their experience completing the MEAL Essentials Certificate, noting that while it presents familiar concepts in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning, it merely formalises established practices rather than introducing new ideas. MEAL aims to create discipline within systems where data collection and action are often disconnected, highlighting…
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Beyond the Score: Rethinking the Pillars of Learning Maturity Assessments
Learning maturity assessments have gained traction as organisations attempt to move beyond activity and towards demonstrable impact. Tools built around frameworks such as the Kirkpatrick Model typically organise maturity across a set of core capabilities, most commonly including strategic alignment, performance design, behaviour activation, measurement and evaluation, and optimisation or…
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Stop Renting Learning Impact: Learning Maturity Cannot Be Assessed Into Existence
The concept of “learning maturity” is often used without clear definition, leading organisations to misunderstand its essence. While maturity assessments can identify gaps, they do not build necessary internal capabilities. Authentic maturity requires embedding expertise in performance analysis and instructional design, enabling organisations to sustain behaviour change and achieve meaningful…
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When Levels 3 and 4 Make No Sense
The discourse on learning impact often erroneously expects immediate behavioural change and measurable results from all learning. While some knowledge areas require specific evaluations, many do not yet have defined applications or performance indicators. Effective evaluation must align with the nature of the learning, fostering understanding rather than forcing premature…
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Why some KIIs just fail
A Key Informant Interview (KII) is a structured approach to understanding system functionalities by eliciting evidence rather than opinions. Effective questions focus on observed realities and specific instances. By exploring constraints and variations in experience, insights emerge. A single interview is insufficient; triangulating evidence from multiple sources enhances understanding and…
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The Conditions Under Which OKRs Actually Work
Organizations increasingly adopt Objectives and Key Results (OKR) without the necessary understanding to utilize them effectively. The framework, originally a tool for disciplined execution, requires clarity of outcomes and proper measurement. When applied in complex environments lacking this foundation, OKRs become meaningless, creating an illusion of progress without genuine understanding.