Michaela Raab
Evaluation & Facilitation
Michaela Raab
I facilitate (and do) evaluation.
In more than three decades in international cooperation, I have worked at all angles of the evaluation triangle/ diamond/ octogon/ buckminsterfullerene (the latter a football-like shape made of hexagons and pentagons – many angles, when things are complicated).
This rich experience – combined with research about evaluation, and continuous exchange with colleagues, has made me passionate about facilitating evaluation. As an evaluation facilitator, I help creating good conditions for evaluations that serve a clear purpose – from the concept phase to the management response.
Get in touch here if you wish to find out more!
News
Evaluation meetups in Berlin
*So far, the meetings have been in German – hence an announcement in German. Let me know via the contact form if you’d like to facilitate Berlin evaluator meetups in English!
Der Berliner Evaluationsstammtisch (BEST) läuft seit Mitte 2023; inzwischen sind es über 90 Menschen im Verteiler, die Evaluationen durchführen, in Auftrag geben, oder einfach daran interessiert sind. Wir treffen uns mehrmals im Jahr, an wechselnden Wochentagen und Orten, jeweils um 18:30. Es ist ein offener Kreis; meist sitzen um die zehn Leute um den Tisch. Auch die Gesprächsthemen wechseln; oft beginnen wir mit einem kurzen oder längeren fachlichen Input. Neulich hatten wir sogar die Präsidentin der Australischen Evaluationsgesellschaft zu Besuch!
Die ersten drei Jahre gab es monatliche Treffen; inzwischen sind es etwa sechs im Jahr. Angekündigt werden sie auf der LinkedIn-Seite des BEST sowie über eine vertraulichen E-Mail-Liste. Wer mit in die Liste möchte, melde sich gern über mein Kontaktformular!
Near-silence after near-20 years of blogging
Those who have followed my blogs – the one on this site and my old blog developblog.org (initiated back in 2007) may have noticed a steep decline in my blogging activities.
The main reason is that nowadays, I bring my insights and worries and stray thoughts to real life meetings – mainly the Berlin evaluation meetup (which I kicked off in mid-2023). Also, running my own website or blog is much less important nowadays, with LinkedIn playing an increasing role. LinkedIn has become a less inspiring place, though, with all the AI-generated slush… I might be back on my own blog soon!
Services
Evaluation facilitation
Support in planning, preparing, carrying out, and using evaluations that serve their purpose: A service for organisations and people who commission, manage, design, implement, analyse, review, synthetise, use and live evaluations.
Evaluation and synthesis
Assessing the merit of projects, project portfolios and the work of organisations around the world, with a commitment to methodological fit and innovation. Available in several languages and across diverse contexts – on-site, remotely and in hybrid, diverse teams.
PMEL clinic
Support in strengthening planning, monitoring, evaluation and learning (PMEL) processes and structures with advice, coaching and training – as well as punctual troubleshooting.
Facilitation
Design and accompaniment of processes, participatory workshops and larger consultations in real life and online/hybrid settings, using bespoke tools, in complex contexts and across multiple languages.
Quality assurance & meta-evaluation
Support (i) to on-going evaluations so that they can be robust and useful, and (ii) to learning from evaluations and their strengths and weaknesses for methodological advancement.
Gender & equity mainstreaming
Support to strategies, planning, monitoring systems and evaluations that strengthen gender equality and equity and that avoid causing harm.