A Developmental Evaluation Primer

This primer presents principles from workshops with developmental evaluators from Canadian organizations. It introduces the concept of developmental evaluation and provides support tools. The three key features of developmental evaluation presented are framing the issue, testing quick iterations, and tracking. The author describes the common myths of developmental evaluation and how to assess the conditions for such evaluations, including an assessment checklist. He then describes the characteristics and skills of a developmental evaluator and includes a checklist tool for assessing such skills. Different development evaluation tools, issues and challenges, and future directions are described. Developmental evaluation is presented a shaving tremendous potential for supporting the dissemination process. Also included in the primer’s appendix is a comparison of developmental evaluation and traditional evaluation.