This article explores the findings of a doctoral study that examined the measurement of individual progression in the Irish Adult Education Guidance Initiative. The critical constructivist stance of the study challenges the prevalence of the positivist paradigm to evaluate long-term outcomes in adult guidance. The research highlights the divergence in the discourse between clients and practitioners, and that of policy-makers on the concept of progression. The outcome is the proposal of a constructivist evaluation framework for future practice. (Contains 1 table.)