The tangible and intangible of evaluation

Background: This paper reflects on my long-standing collaboration with Ray C. Rist, which began in 1997 and has evolved through decades of shared work in evaluation. Grounded in international development and governance, our collaboration has explored both tangible and intangible dimensions of evaluation to enhance institutional learning and policymaking. Purpose: The study examines key lessons from this collaboration, emphasizing the role of evaluation in organizational transformation, the interplay of measurable and relational factors, and the strategic use of evaluative knowledge in decision-making. Setting: The paper draws on experiences from diverse global contexts, including international development initiatives, university-industry partnerships, and public sector reforms. It situates evaluation within broader theoretical debates on governance and knowledge production. Data Collection: The analysis is informed by direct involvement in evaluation projects, fieldwork across multiple regions, and scholarly contributions, including the Comparative Policy Evaluation series. Insights are drawn from case studies, interviews, and a review of evaluation practices applied in different institutional settings. Findings: The study identifies four critical lessons: (1) the necessity of grounding evaluations in local realities to ensure relevance, (2) the importance of recognizing both tangible and intangible dimensions in program success, (3) the role of evaluative knowledge in fostering reflection and policy change, and (4) the advancement of evaluation scholarship to bridge theory and practice. These findings reinforce the evolving role of evaluation as a tool for navigating complexity, strengthening institutional capacity, and fostering inclusive governance.