MandE NEWS

re methods, tools, systems, approaches, innovations,.. >.. measure, monitor, track, audit, evaluate, assess.. >.. results, impact, achievements, outcomes, changes, indicators, performance ..>.. projects, programs, strategies, plans, policies, models, theories..>.. people, participation, poverty, social development ..>..adjustment, improvement, learning, reporting, accountability.. >.. aid organisations, development organisations, NGOs, bilaterals, multilaterals

General purpose

• MandENEWS
  1500+ Members, Archives: Membership required
  The MandE NEWS mailing list is part of the MandE NEWS website at www.mande.co.uk . Visitors to the website are invited to use the mailing list to exchange information with each other about monitoring and evaluation issues, especially as they relate to international development aid. The Editor of MandE NEWS will also use the mailing list to inform list members about significant updates to the MandE NEWS website. The MandE NEWS mailing list is managed by the Editor, Rick Davies (contact email ...(more)

• Eval-Net 
  858 members as of 2006 (please help update this number)
  Knowledge sharing and learning continue to be a top corporate priority for UNDP. The purpose of the Evaluation Network is to strengthen UNDP's evaluation knowledge base by disseminating good practices and lessons learned on monitoring and evaluation to a broad constituency and to foster results-based performance at both country and corporate levels. It will also help build UNDP staff capacity in measuring and assessing results. This network specifically aims to:     
  Share and exchange experiences and knowledge and lessons distilled from evaluative work relating to programmes and projects;
  Mainstream results orientation within the work of UNDP's six practice areas;
  Provide a forum for UNDP staff to share and deepen their knowledge of monitoring and evaluation practices and methodologies.
  This network is open to all UNDP staff members interested in and working on measuring and assessing results and who want to contribute and build their capacity in this area. (posted 16/12/06)
        
   
• XCeval
  580+ Members, Archives: Membership required
  XCeval is a listserv for persons interested in issues associated with international and cross-cultural evaluation.  Initially set up for the International and Cross-Cultural Topical Interest Group of the American Evaluation Association.  Many of the postings (average 34/month) are announcements of short-term consultancies or full-time positions in international M&E-related jobs. Also exchanges of ideas of current interest to persons involved in the evaluation of international development. (updated 15/12/06)

• American Evaluation Association Electronic Lists
• EVALTALK Listserv 3100+ members  An open, unmoderated list for general discussion of evaluation and associated issues sponsored by the American Evaluation Association. To subscribe, send mail to LISTSERV@BAMA.UA.EDU with the command (paste it!): SUBSCRIBE EVALTALK  
• EVALINFO Sponsored by American Evaluation Association (AEA) as the official electronic network for distribution of information to organization members and interested parties. Anyone can subscribe and receive mailings but non-AEA members cannot post to the list. To subscribe, send an e-mail to LISTSERVE@UA1VM.UA.EDU with the message: SUBSCRIBE EVALINFO <Firstname> <Lastname>

Evaluation Themes, Issues, Methods

• ALNAP: Active Learning Network on Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Assistance The Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action is an international, interagency forum working to improve learning, accountability and quality across the Humanitarian Sector.

• AIMEnet Listserv
  1000+  members, Archives, Membership required
  In 2004, MEASURE Evaluation teamed with the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, USAID, CDC, UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the World Bank Group, and UNICEF to create the HIV/AIDS Monitoring and Evaluation Network (AIMEnet) listserv. AIMEnet was initially created so we could stay in touch with participants from several Expanded HIV/AIDS Response M&E workshops. Today, the AIMEnet listserv has been broadened to include anyone interested in sharing technical experiences, tools and information in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of HIV/AIDS programs around the world.

• "Most Significant Changes" technique.
  800+ members. Archives, Membership required.
   This is moderated by Rick Davies and Jessica Dart (Melbourne). This egroup was formed to promote discussion about the use of an innovative method of monitoring, called the "Most Significant Changes" approach. This is a non-indicator based approach to monitoring, making use of a diversity of narrative accounts of change which are subject to an iterated, open and accountable selection process. It has already been applied in developed and less developed economies, in partipatory rural development projects, agricultural extension projects, educational settings and mainstream human services delivery. Through discussion we hope to promote the wider use of the method, and further innovation and development in the method itself. Most Significant Changes monitoring is different from common monitoring practice in at least four respects: (a) The focus is on the unexpected, (b) Information about those events is documented using text rather than numbers, (c) Analysis of that information is through the use of explicit value judgements, (d) Aggregation of information and analysis takes place through a structured social process. This egroup will act both as a repository of information about people's experiences with the MSC method to date, and as a nursery for ideas of how to take the method further- into new environments, where there are new opportunities and constraints.

• Outcome Mapping Learning Community
  

  700+ members globally, as of 2008. Public.
  Outcome Mapping is an innovative approach to project and programme planning, monitoring and evaluation with a strong focus on participatory learning. The major innovation is the emphasis on the behaviour change of key actors with whom the programme has an influence, rather than focussing on changes in state that may or may not be attributed to the programme.
  The community was set up to support users of the methodology and those interested in the concepts behind it. Come and discuss the theory, get advice on applying OM in your case and meet others interested in this approach to P,M&E. See the community brochure for more information or contact Simon Hearn.
  
   
  

   

• Systems in Evaluation Discussion List
  290+ members, Archives. EVAL-SYS@LISTS.EVALUATION.WMICH.EDU

• Theory-Based_Evaluation
  310+ Members, Archives: Public
  Welcome to Theory-Based Evaluation dicsussion list! In the context where evaluation is challenged by attribution, complex systems and the need for evidences based policies, theory-based evaluation is seen as an effective response to these challenges. The purpose of this list, is to provide a forum where practitioners and scholars can exchange and share ideas, lessons and methods associated with theory-based evaluation. Hence, this discussion list is dedicated to the evaluation of Institutional ...(more)

•  Pelican Initiative: Platform for Evidence-based Learning & Communications for Social Change
  410+ Members, Archives. Membership required.
  This platform seeks to bring together development practitioners from different disciplines, specialists and policy makers to explore this question, share experiences, and to push the agenda further on three themes:
      * Evidence and learning for policy change;
      * Learning in organisations and among partners;
      * Society-wide learning among a multitude of stakeholders.
  

• LEAP IMPACT
  160+ members, Archives. Membership required
  Leap Impact aims to improve the institutional performance of monitoring and evaluation practice related to information services, information products and information projects. It is a community of practice open to all individuals/organisations interested in the evaluation of information. LEAP IMPACT is a joint initiative of CTA, IICD, Bellanet, and KIT. It is facilitated by Sarah Cummings (KIT ILS), Neil Pakenham-Walsh (HIF-net-at-WHO) and Shaddy Shadrach (Oneworld South Asia).

• NetworkEvaluation
  180+ Members, Archives: Membership required
  The Network Evaluation mailing is an extension of the Networks section of Monitoring and Evaluation NEWS at www.mande.co.uk The focus of the Network Evaluation mailing list is on the exchange of information about: Methodologies for, and experiences of, the evaluation of networks. Including Networks of individuals, groups and organisations, Both face to face and electronically mediated networks The use of social network analysis in international development aid projects In planning, ...(more)

• PARTICIPATORY MONITORING AND LEARNING
  40+ Members, Archives: Membership required
  This group on Participatory Monitoring and Learning (PM&L) has been created to facilitate interaction amongst a group of researchers, practitioners and others interested in the topic of participatory approaches to monitoring, evaluation and learning.

• ODAfrica
  50+ Members, Archives: Public
  Support group for OD Practitioners working for and in Africa. Initiative of OD Practitioners from Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe and Zambia who attended a two-year OD Practitioners Formation Programme in 2004/2005.

• Evaluation Feedback 
  30+ members, Archives. Membership required.
  This was moderated by Catherine Cameron, author of Evaluation feedback for effective learning and accountability,

• EGAD List: Program evaluation, statistics and methodology list 170+ members. To send a message to all the people currently subscribed to the list, just send mail to EGAD@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU. This is called "sending mail to the list", because you send mail to a single address and LISTSERV makes copies for all the people who have subscribed. This address (egad@listserv.arizona.edu) is also called the "list address". You must never try to send any command to that address, as it would be distributed to all the people who have subscribed. All commands must be sent to the "LISTSERV address", listserv@listserv.arizona.edu.

• Arlist: Action research mailing list.Arlist-L is a medium-volume, multidisciplinary electronic mailing list.  It is a moderated forum for the discussion of the theory and practice of action research and related methods. Bibliography of over 50 references on meta-evaluation. References include discussions of technical competence of individual evaluations, critical analyses of evaluations of the impact of evaluations on the less powerful groups, managerial meta-evaluations on the perceived credibility and utility of the evaluation. To subscribe, send an e-mail (no subject) to request@psy.uq.oz.au with the message: SUBSCRIBE ARLIST <Firstname> <Lastname> Or, To subscribe to arlist-L point your browser at http://lists.scu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/arlist-l

• EDIAIS Forum (Enterprise Development Impact Assessment Information Service)  160+ members
  Joining the list: email info@enterprise-impact.org.uk You will then receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your subscription. Once you are a member: You will receive all messages sent to the list. To send a message to the list mail it to: ENT-IMP@enterprise-impact.org.uk - use either Reply to respond to the last contributor only or Reply All and your message will automatically be mailed to all list members. 

•  Collaborative, Participatory, and Empowerment Evaluation topical interest group. "Our group is dedicated to the exploration and refinement of collaborative, participatory, and empowerment approaches to evaluation. The summary of the web page below is organized according to the following topics: internet, software, guides, associations, and collaborative, participatory, and empowerment evaluation TIG resources. It allows you to easily select the topic of interest and instantly access it by clicking on the underlined text." See http://www.stanford.edu/~davidf/empowermentevaluation.html#Listserv for details of how to get on to their mailing list.

• Govteval list  (Government Evaluation)

• Evaluation of DFID Policies and Practices on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Evaluation of DFID Gender Mainstreaming. This is a closed space with 52 members.

Country specific

• PREVAL - The Programme for Strengthening the Regional Capacity for Monitoring and Evaluation of IFAD's Rural Poverty-Alleviation Projects in Latin America and the Caribbean owner-preval@mail.rimisp.org   1,400+ members

• AfrEA
  180+ Members, Archives: Public
  Information and networking tool of the African Evaluation Association (AfrEA) In conjunction with the national associations and committed donors, AfrEA has helped develop the concept of an African evaluation community. This listserv aims to build on this concept, to broaden this community, by further promoting the sharing of information, resources and opportunities. The AfrEA Community listserv serves as a moderated forum for a wide range of stakeholders, from evaluators who are actively ...(more)
• LateNote: This is a new list recently started at Yahoo! Groups to replace the old list at Topica. Moving the members from the old to the new list is a slow process. However, the old list is still active and has 460 subscribers. (message from Lise Kriel, 30/06/6)

• IAEVAL, the listserv serving the InterAction Evaluation Interest Group (EIG). 
  340+ members, Archives: Membership required
  The purpose of this listserv is to enhance communication among members of the US-based International NGO (INGO) community about program design, monitoring, evaluation and effectiveness.  The target participants of IAEVAL are those of us who are directly or indirectly responsible for INGO M&E. We hope that this will serve to enhance the communication, shared learning and collaboration among us as persons responsible for evaluation in the US-based INGO community.
• Relac:
  460+ Miembros, Archivos: Se requiere suscripción
  Este es el grupo de discución de la red de evaluacion de America Latina y el Caribe.

• REMAPP
  150+ members, Archives: Membership required.
  REMAPP is a [UK-based] group of networking professionals concerned with planning, appraisal, monitoring, evaluation, research and policy issues in aid agencies.

• MandENigeria
  90+ Members, Archives: Moderators only
  This listserve is for interested individuals and institutions to share knowledge, opportunities, experience and other resources in M & E. It is also an opportunity to access proffessional consultants in Monitoring and Evaluation in Nigeria and Africa. It is an informal medium to support capacity building, strengthening and dessemination of Monitoring and evaluation information in Nigeria under a Network of Monitoring and Evaluation.Evaluators are advised and encouraged to join and participate ...(more)

• IndiaEvalGroup
  30+ Members, Archives: Membership required
  This discussion group consists of evaluators from India or evaluators working on Indian projects. The potential benefits of forming and participating with such a group are: 1. Fellowship with others working in a similar area 3. Encouraging sharing of learning across content and context areas

• MONEV_NGO
  20+ Members, Archives: Membership required
  Establish in Jakarta, Indonesia by 2004. It was started from a group of activists that concern about Monitoring and Evaluation skills that need to be developed by NGOs in Indonesia in general. This is an open forum, so please participate in sharing and discussing lessons learnt and experiences in Monitoring and Evaluation.

• MandE Ghana
  30+ Members, Archives: Membership required
  This email list has been established for people who have an interest in monitoring and evaluation as applied in Ghana. It is open to people living in Ghana and those elsewhere who have a connection with Ghana. Its aim is to: (a) encourage mutual learning between members, through exchange of questions and answers; (b) make opportunities quickly available to members, concerning M&E related training events, conferences, workshops and employment vacancies; (c) enable members to make contacts with other members with related M&E interests.

• EgDEvalNet
  < 5 Members, Archives: Membership required
  This discussion-group was established to discuss the evaluation of development activities in Egypt. This includes: Improving development evaluation activities Exchange of experience between evaluation practitioners Providing feedback for improving development planning Discuss the establishment of an Egyptian Development & Evaluation Association Define standards and guidelines for evaluation practice applicable for the Egyptian environment Develop development evaluation criteria and tools ...(more)

How to set up an email list

• Use Yahoo Groups, as used by many of the email lists shown above.
• Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/ 
• Sign up to get a Yahoo ID (you need to give yourself a username and password, once only).
• Look for Create Your Own Group
• Click on Start a Group Now, then follow the instructions
• Or, use Dgroups
• Go to http://www.dgroups.org/ 
• Dgroups currently supports 1818 groups, containing 60690 members.
• See if you can work out how to join, and set up a group. It is not easy

Counter started: 09/06/06