ERIC Number: EJ1465360
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Mar
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1098-2140
EISSN: EISSN-1557-0878
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Streamlining Complex Intervention Evaluation through Participatory Systems Mapping and Contribution Analysis: A Comprehensive Framework for Actionable Complexity Evaluation
American Journal of Evaluation, v46 n1 p6-21 2025
The use of complexity-based evaluation methods remains relatively underexplored in the field of evaluation. While increasingly employed to assess complex interventions, Contribution Analysis (CA) continues to suffer from a lack of operationalization. In this article, we propose enhancing the implementation of CA by leveraging Participatory Systems Mapping as a tool to delineate and scrutinize contribution narratives. The research has a dual objective. It aims to experiment with the recently introduced Participatory Systems Mapping method in the field of evaluation while providing a tool for examining contribution narratives. The combination of CA and Participatory Systems Mapping was tested by evaluating a youth employability project. This approach enabled a collaborative and in-depth examination of impact stories and alternative explanations. It proved valuable not only in managing the complexity of the intervention but also in strengthening the implementation of CA.
Descriptors: Evaluation Methods, Intervention, Difficulty Level, Systems Approach, Stakeholders, Focus Groups, Program Evaluation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Mohamed V University, Rabat, Morocco; 2École nationale d'administration publique, Quebec City, Canada