Evaluation guidance
i-eval Resource Kit - ILO policy guidelines for results-based evaluation: Principles, rationale, planning and managing for evaluations (March 2012)
Evaluation aims to increase transparency and the shared accountability for achieving the ILO's strategic objectives. Evaluation focuses on the extent to which ILO performance is on track, where potential for improvement exists, and actions to be taken. Insights and lessons learned are fed back into the process of organizational learning and the planning and programming of future activities.
The Evaluation Unit has updated their Guidelines, now available as part of the i-eval Resource Kit. The 2012 edition provides new and updated guidelines on overall policy, evaluation management, knowledge systems, evaluation design, managing consultants, methodologies and cross-cutting issues such as lessons learned, gender mainstreaming, and impact evaluation. The kit’s CD-Rom is available with a booklet and provides comprehensive online links to relevant ILO authoritative documents related to evaluation, as well as links to 15 detailed guidance documents, 8 checklists, and related templates and tools.
The text of the guidelines creates hyperlinks to all of the new Guidance Notes, Checklists, Templates and Tools as the reader moves through the document. A separate list of the supplemental guidance can also be found as part of the Reference section in the guidelines. Click here to access the Guidelines.
To link directly to a list of the new guidance, checklists, templates and tools, click here.
1. Strategy and policy evaluation
Evaluations of ILO strategies and policies assess their effectiveness and impact. Following ILO’s frameworks to programme and budget against a limited number of priority objectives and associated outcomes (the Strategic Policy Framework and the biennial Programme and Budget), these high-level evaluations focus on the continued relevance, as well as how to improve effectiveness, efficiency, potential for impact and sustainability of the associated strategies. Click here to review the strategy and policy evaluations conducted by the Evaluation Unit.
2. Country programme evaluation
Country programme evaluations are a means to systematically review progress and approaches being taken in selected countries. They assess the relevance of ILO’s country-level work for its national constituents and consider the strategic alignment of ILO’s work with the activities and priorities of UN and other partners. They further assess the coherence, effectiveness and efficiency of approaches taken and their likelihood to produce long-term sustainable development results at country level. Click here to review the country programme evaluations conducted by the Evaluation Unit.
3. Thematic evaluation
Thematic evaluations assess specific aspects, themes and processes of ILO's technical work, and also can focus on specific sectors, issues, or approaches. Thematic evaluations provide a means for ILO technical programmes to explore in depth the effectiveness and impact of major means of actions and interventions. These evaluations can draw from lessons learned at project level, both inside and outside the ILO. Click here to browse the thematic evaluations conducted by the Evaluation Unit.
4. Project evaluation
ILO project evaluations provide an opportunity for the Office and its funding partners to assess the appropriateness of design as it relates to the ILO's strategic and national policy framework, and consider the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of project outcomes. Project evaluations also test underlying assumptions about contribution to a broader development goal. Click here to review the project evaluations conducted by the Evaluation Unit since 2005.
5. Internal review
As part of its evaluation policy, the ILO conducts periodic internal reviews of its major programmes and organizational strategies. These reviews focus more on organizational issues and identify opportunities for improvement by building on strengths and addressing issues that may hamper effectiveness. They are meant to integrate internal analysis into the knowledge that officials have of their programmes and the stake they have in seeing these improve.