While in recent years substantial efforts have been made to promote and disseminate (quantitative) counter-factual impact evaluation practice there is much less sharing of good practice concerning so-called theory-based impact evaluation.
This seminar will therefore focus on this theory-based impact evaluation, drawing on the latest advances made in terms of methodology. The most cited methods – Process Tracing, Congruence Analysis, Qualitative Comparative Analysis, Pawson and Tilley’s Realist Evaluation, Mayne’s Contribution Analysis – will all be covered and put into perspective. Several cases will be used to exemplify these methods. The seminar participants will also undertake a number of exercises to better understand the methods. An important focus of the course will be to show how theory-based impact evaluation can match the rigour associated with counter-factual impact evaluation.

At the end of the seminar you will have a better understanding of:
• When theory-based impact evaluation might be a better alternative to counter-factual impact evaluation
• How theory-based impact evaluation can be applied to maximise the benefits of using it.