1A1 Leveraging Hybrid Evaluation Teams: Balancing Internal Knowledge with External Insight for Sustainable Evaluation Practices
This panel will explore the dynamics of hybrid evaluation teams – comprising internal and external evaluators – as a sustainable model for effective evaluations. Through a moderated discussion, four experienced panelists will speak to individual and shared cases to illustrate benefits, challenges, and strategies for leveraging hybrid teams to build evaluation capacity, share expertise, apply different evaluation lenses and manage complex evaluations.
Internal evaluators often bring detailed and nuanced knowledge of their organization’s programs, which aids in comprehensive data analysis and contextual understanding that strengthen the interpretive value of evaluation outcomes. However, because of their close ties to the organization, internal evaluators may experience role conflicts, especially when they are expected to balance neutral assessment with organizational pressures to secure program funding and support continuity. As noted in the literature, this may result in a perceived lack of objectivity and credibility, which could impact the use of evaluations.
The addition of external evaluators as part of evaluation teams offers valuable counterbalances to these challenges including an enhanced perception of objectivity and credibility. External evaluators also bring fresh perspectives, specialized skills, as well as experience with diverse methodologies and the integration of different lenses (e.g., sustainability, reconciliation, and EDI). They may also draw on their work with other departments and agencies, which can foster cross-departmental learning and break down silos.
The discussion will emphasize the dynamics of hybrid teams, including the practical benefits and challenges of balancing internal and external roles, managing stakeholder expectations, and creating resilient evaluation strategies. Attendees will gain practical insights on managing complex evaluations within hybrid teams, navigating role expectations, and fostering sustainable evaluation practices that align with organizational and community goals.
Presenters:
François Dumaine, Partner, PRA
As an evaluation practitioner, François Dumaine has had a wide range of opportunities to bridge theory and practice, and to explore new ways of ensuring that information needs of decision-makers are efficiently met. He has collaborated with federal departments, non-profit organizations and local governments in assessing their respective programs and activities. In undertaking his work, François is guided by principles related to social justice, environmental sustainability, and Canada’s commitment to reconciliation. François served as President of CES and as Chair of the CES Educational Fund, and he is a CES Fellow.
Élyse McCall-Thomas, Evaluation Manager, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
Élyse McCall-Thomas is a Ph.D. student at the University of Ottawa. Her research focuses on the theory-policy-practice connection with a specific focus the implementation and impact of the Government of Canada’s 2016 Policy on Results on the capacity to do and use evaluations. Élyse is also an Evaluation Manager with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and has over 16 years of experience in research and evaluation. Her work spans many areas including research funding, education, public health, mental health and addictions, and homelessness. Through her work, Élyse emphasizes considerations of capacity building, equity and inclusion, as well as the use of evaluation to support learning and evidence-based decision making.
Vanessa Anastasopoulos, Founder and principal, VANASTAS
Vanessa Anastasopoulos has been an equity-focused evaluator for 25+ years, including over a decade as a senior evaluator across three federal departments. She has also served as Director, Assessment and Evaluation at McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine and, most recently, as an independent consultant. She first delved into the use of AI in June 2023 when faced with the challenge of analyzing an unexpectedly large volume of qualitative survey data within tight project constraints. This experience marked a turning point by revealing AI’s potential as a tool for enhancing the quality of her evaluation practice.
MODERATOR: Isabelle Bourgeois, Full Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa
Isabelle Bourgeois’, Ph.D., ongoing research work focuses on measuring and building organizational evaluation capacity (EC) in the public and community sectors. Her main contributions in this field include an organizational framework of evaluation capacity, an online organizational EC assessment instrument, and an integrative review of the literature on evaluation capacity spanning a period of 20 years. Isabelle was the Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation from 2017 to 2022. In 2017, she received the Karl-Boudreault Award for Leadership in Evaluation from the Canadian Evaluation Society National Capital Chapter, and in 2021, she received the Parenteau award from Canadian Public Administration for best French-language article. She received the Contribution to Evaluation Award from the Canadian Evaluation Society in 2024.
This presentation will be delivered in French.
1A2 Visioning for CES-NCC
Details to come.