Evaluation and measurement

Evaluating complex interventions

Orazio Attanasio

Yale University

Conceptual paper

Not applicable

This paper will examine conceptual issues linked to the construction and validation of appropriate measures that are useful for evaluation.

It will explore specific issues around: a) which outcomes should be measured and how; b) how to use existing measures; and c) how to construct new measures.

For this paper, the authors will draw on their experience in collecting and analysing data in the area of early child development.

By identifying strategies for addressing challenges in measurement, the paper will offer useful takeaways for evaluators. Improvements in measurement can help decision-makers develop a better understanding of the mechanisms that generate (or don’t generate) certain impacts. This is important for informing decisions on policy changes and extrapolating the results of an evaluation to different contexts.