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Overview of the DAC Evaluation Quality Standards

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The DAC Evaluation Quality Standards identify the key pillars needed for a quality evaluation process and product.
The standards are not binding, but provide a guide to good practice.
They are intended to contribute to a harmonised approach to evaluation in line with the principles of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness.
Draft standards were approved in 2006 for a test phase application of three years. The draft standards are now being used in many different places by a variety of evaluation stakeholders.
Experience during this phase will inform final agreement on the standards.

DAC Evaluation Quality Standards - Auckland Workshop
9-10 February 2009

Agenda
Workshop Report
Feedback from group work day 1: Exploring the Issues Group Work
Feedback from group work day 2: Prospective – proposing changes to the Evaluation Quality Standards
Overview of main issues from day one
Evaluation quality standards in Dutch Development Cooperation
NZAID Experiences with DAC Evaluation Quality Standards
The value and use of evaluation quality standards: Standards in the case of Spanish Cooperation
The Paris Declaration and DAC Evaluation Quality Standards

Evaluation Quality Standards Initial Survey

To help gather initial feedback on the draft standards, the Secretariat developed a survey. This survey was completed by members of the DAC Evaluation Network and other users between July and September 2007. The main findings are summarised below and a synthesis report is available here.

Main findings

Eighty per cent of the respondents stated that they are making use of the DAC Evaluation Quality Standards.
Central evaluation offices and departments are the main user of the standards, but consultants also frequently use them.
Many agencies specifically refer to the standards for quality control, when drafting terms of references, in preparing evaluation guidelines, for staff training on evaluation and in briefing consultants.
Members generally see the DAC standards as helpful in setting internationally agreed standards. Some respondents report that the standards have been useful in preparing internal guides and approaches.
Although many believe that the standards have improved evaluations, a number of respondents also noted that that the standards have not been used long enough to make a definite judgement on their impact on quality.
The majority of the agencies are not recording experiences of the use of the standards as it is seen too early to do so, however, many stated that they will start record experiences in early 2008.