Books and Articles

Developmental Evaluation: Applying complexity concepts to enhance innovation and use (Quinn Patton, 2010)

 Foundational text on the application and methods of DE.

Developmental Evaluation Exemplars: Principles in Practice (Quinn Patton, McKegg, & Wehipeihana, 2015).

Creative Ways to Solicit Youth Input (Public Profit, 2012) 

A manual for organizations seeking creative participatory evaluation tools to get input from community members, particularly youth. While geared towards youth solicitation, it provides creative ways to approach vulnerable and/or underrepresented community.

Part One: Outlines the process you can use to plan evaluation questions (regular program eval principles on design)

Part Two: Lists several activities you can use with youth to solicit feedback. Activities include materials needed, best age groups, practical considerations.

Planning and facilitating working sessions with evaluation stakeholders (Torres, 2016):

Article explains the 15 interdependent components for successfully facilitated working sessions and includes a case example for planning, executing, debriefing and intended follow-up to one session. Can provide useful templates and considerations for mapping an evaluation process for the DEI, incorporating the evaluation stakeholders in the facilitation process. (Consider using these techniques during the program’s design phase as well). Facilitation reveals new insights, perspectives and potential actions which a) in all likelihood would have not otherwise occurred and b) advance the interests of the stakeholder group.

Handbook for Participatory Action Research, Planning and Evaluation (Chevalier, 2013):

Collection of processes to engage people and mobilize evidence in complex settings, involving multiple stakeholders and drawing upon various disciplines/methods/paradigms/perspectives. Can provide useful process to begin formulating the DEI structure, and ensure sufficient practice/action/research etc is incorporated.

Websites:

Developmental Evaluation Toolkit

Hosted by Spark Policy Institute based in Denver. Introduces DE principles, has case studies, example frameworks, methods, etc.