The 27th Event of the Vienna Evaluation Network took place on October 19, 2023.

Topic: Applying Contribution Analysis: Considerations from Evaluation Practice

by guest speaker Justine Hunter

View or download the slides (PDF) here

This presentation by guest speaker Dr Justine Hunter provides an overview of the methodological approach of Contribution Analysis and its implementation in six iterative steps. The event is directed at both evaluators and evaluation managers.
Contribution Analysis addresses the following key questions: Which positive or negative, intended or unintended changes can be observed? Did the project contribute to these changes and, if so, how? Did external contextual factors have supporting or inhibiting effects and, if so, in what way? Can observed changes be attributed to the project without further ado or are there alternative (rival) explanations for their occurence?
The presentation will focus on the following aspects: Theory of Change as a main tool for applying Contribution Analysis; selecting and verifying results hypotheses; recording and qualifying empirical evidence, drawing consolidated conclusions and writing a plausible contribution story.
The event will follow an interactive approach which, following the theoretical contribution, provides for a practical exchange of experiences based on guiding questions between participants in breakout rooms.

Dr Justine Hunter is a freelance consultant with associated affiliation to the Arnold Bergstraesser Institute for Research in Cultural Studies in Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany). The guest speaker has about 25 years of professional experience in international cooperation and has been offering consulting services in the field of results-based project management and evaluation for the past 9 years. She supports departments of international development organisations responsible for monitoring and evaluation in standard setting and quality assurance. On their behalf, she also offers training modules for internal qualification of staff as well as advanced training for evaluators. Previously, she worked as a technical planner at the sectoral department and as a senior advisor at the corporate unit evaluation of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
Website: https://www.justinehunter.com/

WHEN: Thursday, October 19, 2023, 4-5.30pm CET

WHERE: This was an online event.

The event started with a presentation by the guest speaker. After the presentation, some group work and a discussion about the topic took place.