Measuring results
Focusing on results and user benefits is a key element of GIZ’s evaluations. GIZ uses its evaluation system to implement its evaluation policy with three core functions: help with decision-making; transparency and accountability; and organisational learning, including its contribution to knowledge management. The evaluations are produced in compliance with national and international quality standards for evaluation.
Corporate strategic evaluations
Corporate strategic evaluations examine how GIZ provides its services and how the company is positioned. The decisions and change processes that are pending within the company determine the aspect for which a corporate strategy evaluation will be commissioned.
The topics are assessed based on four criteria: significance in terms of corporate policy, need for decisions in the medium term, need for evidence and the feasibility of the evaluation.
Project evaluations
GIZ uses central project evaluations to evaluate the impact, cost-effectiveness and sustainability of projects that it carries out together with its partners on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The projects for evaluation are selected at random. With coverage of 40 per cent, we ensure that the sample is ‘meaningful’ in accordance with the guidelines of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) for bilateral financial and technical cooperation with German development cooperation partners.
GIZ also offers other commissioning parties the opportunity to commission project evaluations.
Cross-sectional analyses
In evaluation syntheses, GIZ takes an in-depth look at its own work, pooling existing experience-based knowledge and expertise. Evaluations from a given year, sector, region or country are analysed and factors influencing success or failure are identified, along with good practices.
Meta-evaluations review the applicable quality standards (usefulness, quality of the processes and methodological quality). Their findings provide a basis for determining whether and how the requirements for or format of project evaluations need to be improved.
