Principles-Focused Evaluation: The GUIDE - Softcover

"In the past two decades, Patton has been perhaps the most creative contemporary thinker about how best to advance evaluation practice, with contributions including utilization-focused evaluation, qualitative evaluation methods, process use, complexity concepts, systems change in evaluation, and developmental evaluation, among others. Principles-Focused Evaluation continues Patton's impressive tradition of major breakthrough innovation. This book will undoubtedly expand your thinking and is a 'must read' for evaluation practitioners, scholars, and students. I give it my absolute highest endorsement."--Stewart I. Donaldson, PhD, Director, Claremont Evaluation Center, Claremont Graduate University

"Patton is one of our most innovative evaluation theorists--and this book underscores that point. P-FE provides the framework for implementing evaluations that are grounded in meaningful, actionable, and rigorous evidence. The book offers guidance on theory and practice plus examples that bring the concepts to life. No one else engages readers quite like Patton. Another exceptional contribution by a master!"--Christina A. Christie, PhD, Chair, Department of Education, University of California, Los Angeles

"Principles-Focused Evaluation provides a practical toolkit for guiding and shaping the urgent work of shifting institutions, systems, and cultures from maladaptive to adaptive states. Patton builds on his foundational work in utilization-focused evaluation and developmental evaluation. This is a timely and important book for evaluators--and for the social innovators, policymakers, educators, and funders with whom they work."--Stephen Huddart, President and CEO, The J. W. McConnell Family Foundation, Montréal, Québec, Canada

"Gender equity, empowerment, climate mitigation, poverty reduction, peacebuilding--these prevalent programmatic initiatives take many different forms but share principled foundations of action. In this book, Patton shifts the attention of evaluators to the fundamental propositions that drive change, offering a valuable approach for addressing the complexities of many--if not most--evaluation environments."--Ann M. Doucette, PhD, Research Professor, Claremont Graduate University; Director of Special Projects, The Evaluators' Institute

"The practice exercises at the end of most chapters take the form of reflective, open-ended prompts that allow readers to work through the material presented in the chapter....Teachers may find these exercises useful for starting discussions, guiding group projects, and/or shaping written assignments, while consultants may use them to guide clients and their staffs through a process of reflection, articulation, and organizational self-appraisal....While Patton is a knowledgeable guide through the material, he also is a storyteller and creative non-fiction writer who understands the power of narrative....Woven throughout The GUIDE are bits and chunks and even whole chapters of story, often told by others in the field....Hearing these people share how P-FE worked in specific situations at specific times illustrates the extent to which P-FE can be applied."--The Qualitative Report

"From the first word, it is clear that this book is essential reading for anyone involved in any kind of work where quality of life is the primary concern....It will be invaluable for students, teachers, and researchers alike. It would also be valuable for social support organizations, their managers, and their practitioner staff ....The book is superbly written....Practical exercises provide opportunities to bring the material to life in a directly meaningful way for the reader....Patton invites us to join him in the journey of further developing the field by testing out, adapting, and revising the ideas he offers to deepen understanding for the benefit of all."--Evaluation Matters

"In this book, Patton takes reader reflection to another level, asking each reader to go through his or her own journey, engaging in the book content by undertaking examples and practice exercises at the end of each chapter....It is a thought-provoking and insightful book....Patton skillfully guides the reader through an exploratory journey of the PFE approach, and how it can be applied to the contexts we work in."--American Journal of Evaluation

How can programs and organizations ensure they are adhering to core principles--and assess whether doing so is yielding desired results? From evaluation pioneer Michael Quinn Patton, this book introduces the principles-focused evaluation (P-FE) approach and demonstrates its relevance and application in a range of settings. Patton explains why principles matter for program development and evaluation and how they can serve as a rudder to navigate the uncertainties, turbulence, and emergent challenges of complex dynamic environments. In-depth exemplars illustrate how the unique GUIDE framework is used to determine whether principles provide meaningful guidance (G) and are useful (U), inspiring (I), developmentally adaptable (D), and evaluable (E). User-friendly features include rubrics, a P-FE checklist, firsthand reflections and examples from experienced P-FE practitioners, sidebars and summary tables, and end-of-chapter application exercises.