It is not uncommon for evaluators to be asked to perform an evaluation of a project that is well underway or almost finished, yet when they ask questions about comparable baseline data and control groups their clients respond with blank stares. Too typically time and resources are few, yet clients expect “rigorous impact evaluation.” And there are also political pressures to deal with.

The RealWorld Evaluation approach was developed specifically to address the need for practical strategies on how to ensure the highest level of methodological rigor consistent with the circumstances under which the evaluation has to be conducted. The book on this topic, authored by Michael Bamberger, Jim Rugh and Linda Mabry, was published by Sage in 2006. It is available through the Sage website. An extracted version of the summary chapter can be downloaded from the next page of this site.

Bamberger and Rugh have presented many workshops on RealWorld Evaluation in many countries. A copy of the PowerPoint presentation and other materials are accessible on the next page of this website.

Publicly accessible documents and presentations about the RealWorld Evaluation approach are accessible on the next page.