Exploration of factors that affect the use of evaluation training in evaluation capacity development

This study identified and explored factors that affect the use of evaluation training in building sustainable evaluation capacity in organizations. The research was conducted as a collective case study that included three Russian nongovernmental organizations. All organizations had a proven evaluation capacity and had used evaluation training more than once to develop this capacity. The three organizations differed in the way they used their evaluation capacity. The Center for NGO Support (CNGOS) in Moscow provided evaluation services as one of their services to clients. The Siberian Center for Civic Initiatives Support (SCISC) in Novosibirsk used evaluation as an important internal management system. The disability organization "Perspektiva" in Moscow used evaluation as one of the tools that helps them better design and implement their projects and programs.; I used four methods of data collection for each case: (1) in-depth individual interviews, (2) group interviews, (3) document analysis, and (4) self-reflection. I conducted data analysis at two levels: for each case independently and for all three cases together. Study findings were described as three separate case study reports.; The study revealed five categories of factors that affected the use of evaluation training in building sustainable evaluation capacity in organizations: (1) Factors that cause involvement of organizations in evaluation training; (2) Factors related to the utilization focus of the training; (3) Factors related to the training itself; (4) Factors related to complementary learning that enforces the use of training; (5) Factors related to the sustainability of the training outcomes.; On the basis of the study outcomes I developed a checklist that could help practitioners make evaluation training more useful in the evaluation capacity development work in organizations. Recommendations for future research include several options ranging from similar study of various kinds of organizations to further development of the concept of utilization-focused evaluation training.; The sample did not pretend to be representative. Insights drawn from this research can not be directly applied to other organizations in other parts of the world. But these insights can help researchers and practitioners better understand the use of training in evaluation capacity development and inform their future studies.