291 - The Power of integrating Implementation Science Principles into Evaluation Frameworks to Amplify and Empower Voices in Evaluation

Abstract Information: Theme: Amplifying and Empowering Voices in Evaluation Evaluation is referred to as a systematic Inquiry that involves collecting, and synthesizing information about a program, system, and policy. The process also involves application of social research methods to systematically investigate the effectiveness of programs, policies, and systems (Rossi, 2019, Barrington & Triana-Tremain, 2022). The approaches of implementation science play a critical role by providing frameworks, methodologies, and insights to understand, assess, and improve the implementation of programs, systems, and policies. Implementation science is the study of methods to promote the translation of scientific evidence into practice (Smith & Polaha, 2017). Leveraging implementation science enhances evaluator’s capacity to conduct evaluations in a manner that contributes to positive social change, amplifying and empowering voices of the underrepresented. The purpose of this abstract is to highlight the significance of integrating the implementation science principles into evaluation using explicit theories and analytic frameworks that enhance the quality, rigor, (Ridde et al., 2020), relevance, and utility of evaluation results and to provide a comprehensive understanding of implementation processes and outcomes.