Evaluation is essential to understand whether and how policies and other interventions work, why they sometimes fail, and whether they represent a good use of resources. Evaluability assessment (EA) is a means of collaboratively planning and designing evaluations, seeking to ensure they generate relevant and robust evidence that supports decision-making and contributes to the wider evidence base. This article reports on the context, the process undertaken and evidence from participants in an EA facilitated with public service workers involved in implementing a complex, area-based community improvement initiative. This is a novel context in which to conduct an EA. We show how the process allows practitioners at all levels to identify activities for evaluation and co-produce the theory of change developed through the EA. This enables evaluation recommendations to be developed that are relevant to the implementation of the programme, and which take account of available data and resources for evaluation.

中文翻译：

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可评价性评估：在复杂社区改善环境中的应用

评估对于了解政策和其他干预措施是否以及如何发挥作用、为何有时会失败以及它们是否代表对资源的良好利用至关重要。可评价性评估 (EA) 是一种协作规划和设计评价的手段，旨在确保它们产生相关且可靠的证据，以支持决策并为更广泛的证据基础做出贡献。本文报告了背景、所采取的过程以及来自参与实施复杂的、基于区域的社区改善计划的公共服务工作者促进的 EA 参与者的证据。这是执行 EA 的新环境。我们展示了该过程如何允许各级从业者识别评估活动并共同产生通过 EA 开发的变革理论。