EvalVoices Online Sessions
Join the Conversation:
Be part of EvalVoices’ events by clicking on the links below for different sessions. Each session includes a dedicated space for dialogue—giving you the opportunity to ask questions, challenge perspectives, and co-create knowledge that matters.
| SESSION 1: EVALUATION SCIENCE WITH MICHAEL QUINN PATTON - 15 JULY 2025 | 14:00 CET |
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Topic: Evaluation Science Speaker: Michael Quinn Patton Date and Time: 15 July 2025 | 14:00 CET About the Topic: Evaluation Science addresses the evolving body of knowledge that underpins effective and credible evaluation practice. In this session, Michael Quinn Patton will explore the foundations of evaluation as a scientific discipline—what constitutes quality evidence, how methodological choices influence use, and why evaluation must adapt to complexity, uncertainty, and systems change. Participants will delve into how evaluation science informs the credibility, utility, and influence of evaluations in real-world settings. The session will cover key themes such as principles-based evaluation, adaptive methods, and the nexus between evidence and decision-making. Drawing on decades of global experience, Patton will offer thought-provoking reflections and forward-looking insights, making this an unmissable session for anyone working to advance evaluation culture and practice. For more information on Evaluation Science, see:
About the Speaker: Michael Quinn Patton is a globally recognised leader in the field of evaluation. He is the founder and director of Utilization-Focused Evaluation, a paradigm that emphasises designing evaluations that are actually used by decision-makers. With over five decades of experience, Patton has conducted evaluations at local, national, and international levels across diverse sectors including education, health, environment, and development cooperation. He has served as President of the American Evaluation Association and is a founding board member of the International Evaluation Academy. Patton is the author of numerous seminal books and articles, including Utilization-Focused Evaluation (2008), Developmental Evaluation (2010), and Blue Marble Evaluation (2020), which proposes a new approach to evaluating global systems transformation. His contributions have fundamentally shaped evaluation practice worldwide, earning him multiple prestigious awards, including the Lazarsfeld Award for Lifetime Contributions to Evaluation Theory. You can access some of his work via the following websites: |
| SESSION 2: PROCESS TRACING WITH DEREK BEACH - 30 SEPTEMBER 2025 | 14:00 CET |
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Topic: Process Tracing Speaker: Derek Beach Date and Time: 30 September 2025 | 14:00 CET About the Topic: Process tracing is a qualitative research method used to identify and test causal mechanisms in complex contexts. It enables evaluators to go beyond “what works” by systematically examining how and why interventions produce outcomes. In this session, Derek Beach will demonstrate how process tracing can be applied in evaluations to strengthen the credibility of findings and enhance understanding of causal pathways. Participants will gain practical insights into designing and conducting evaluations that are both methodologically sound and contextually grounded. For more information on Process Tracing, see:
About the Speaker: Derek Beach is a professor of Political Science at Aarhus University, Denmark, where he teaches and research on process tracing methods and European integration. He has authored articles, chapters, and books on research methodology, policy evaluation, international negotiations, referendums, and European integration, and co-authored the book Process-tracing Methods: Foundations and Guidelines (2019, 2nd edition, University of Michigan Press). He has taught process tracing methods at numerous workshops for both academics and evaluation practitioners, as well as led Ph.D.-level methods courses throughout the world. Beach has conducted evaluations at the national and international level. He was an academic fellow at the World Bank’s Independent Evaluation Group in spring 2022. He is an academic coordinator of the Methods Excellence Network (MethodsNet). |