Thomas AstonRepositioning evaluation theory treesI was recently asked by Rosa María Flores Rodríguez for my thoughts on evaluation theory trees. For several years, Flores Rodríguez has…Aug 203Aug 203
Thomas AstonPivot or entropy? The end of the gold standardIn my previous blog, I documented some of the most common critiques of the supposed “gold standard,” Randomised Control Trials (RCTs)…May 251May 251
Thomas AstonThe fall of IcarusWe often have conversations about research and evaluation methods which depart from the notion that some methods are, a priori, better than…May 17May 17
Thomas AstonMaking sense of all the sense makingI don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there seems to have been a boom in sensemaking.Mar 175Mar 175
Thomas AstonHigher, broader, and deeper level resultsI’ve written in the past on the difference between outputs and outcomes, but I’ve rarely reflected on the issues of breadth or depth of…Feb 19Feb 19
Thomas AstonSins of commission: The five most common mistakes when hiring an evaluator… and how to avoid themWritten with Matthew Carr and Johanna MorariuJan 7Jan 7
Thomas AstonEmbracing fuzziness in assessing complex change processesSuccess, failure, or both?Nov 4, 20231Nov 4, 20231
Thomas AstonChanging theoriesYou may, or may not, be surprised to hear that many theories of change lack what we might generally understand as a theory.Oct 15, 20232Oct 15, 20232
Thomas AstonThe end of impactToby Lowe recently argued that ‘it is impossible for organisations to “demonstrate their impact” if they work in complex environments.’Jul 30, 20232Jul 30, 20232
Thomas AstonComplexity and theories of change: reduxI’ve been reading lots of critiques of planning, prediction, and theories of change recently. I’ve written a fair bit on theories of change…Jul 17, 20233Jul 17, 20233
