What Happens When You Give Evaluators a Box of Crayons? Reflections on Visualizations of Evaluation Theory

Abstract Information: Evaluation theory plays an important role in the practice and profession of evaluation. As Shadish once observed, evaluation theory provides a common language, identifies important issues, and provides a unique knowledge base that distinguishes evaluation from other forms of knowledge production. Speaking directly to the importance of evaluation theory, knowledge of and ability to use evaluation theories continues to be of great importance and is explicitly identified in several competency and capabilities frameworks, including in the evaluation knowledge domain of the Evaluation Capabilities Framework (European Evaluation Society, 2011) and the Framework for Evaluation Capabilities (UK Evaluation Society, 2012), and the professional practice domain of the Evaluator Competencies (American Evaluation Association, 2018). Knowledge and use of evaluation theories is also highlighted in the United Nations Evaluation Group’s (UNEG’s) Evaluation Competency Framework (2016). Over the years, and as the range of evaluation theories has continued to grow, evaluation scholars have depicted the growing landscape of evaluation theory in the form of trees (Christie & Alkin, 2013, 2023; Mertens, 2012), rivers (Donaldson & Tarek, n.d.), periodic tables (Vaca, 2018), metro maps (Lemire, 2020), and flower gardens (Montrosse-Moorhead et al., 2023), among others. With these reflections as our backdrop, the purpose of the panel is both to provide an overview of a portion of the different visuals—and narratives—of evaluation theory and to discuss the implications of these visuals for the practice and profession of evaluation. What are the philosophical, ethical, and practical implications of depicting evaluation theory in different ways? What are the stories we tell ourselves and communicate to evaluation stakeholders, managers, and commissioners about evaluation through theories—about who we are and what we can be? Whose evaluation theories are not being told within and across these visualizations? These are some of the questions we will discuss during the session.