Course Overview

Principles-focused evaluation centers on the principles that guide a program’s actions, rather than just its activities or goals. This course introduces the GUIDE framework, which ensures that principles are directive, useful, inspiring, adaptable, and evaluable. Participants will explore how to craft strong principles and evaluate whether they are meaningful to stakeholders, followed in practice, and effective in guiding results. Real-world examples and interactive exercises will ground the learning.

What You Will Learn

Participants will explore the niche and purpose of principles-focused evaluation and how it differs from other evaluation approaches. They will learn how to develop strong guiding principles and evaluate them across different settings. The course emphasizes practical application, including crafting principles, applying the GUIDE framework, and evaluating both ethical and effectiveness principles. Special attention will be given to culturally responsive evaluation and examples from diverse global contexts.

Course Format

This course includes four live, online, instructor-led modules (or two days in-person, depending on instructor availability). Sessions are interactive and include opportunities for peer exchange, hands-on exercises, and practical examples. Participants who complete all four modules will receive a certificate of completion.

Module Breakdown

Module 1: The Niche and Contributions of Principles-Focused Evaluation

This module introduces the foundations of principles-focused evaluation and places it within the broader field of evaluation approaches. Participants will explore when and why to apply this approach, using examples that range from small programs to global change efforts. The session will also unpack the GUIDE framework and show how to apply its five core elements.

Module 2: Diverse Applications of Principles-Focused Evaluation with an Emphasis on Culturally Responsive Applications

In this session, participants will explore how to develop or revise principles for different contexts and purposes. We’ll focus on how principles can surface values early in a program’s lifecycle and help shape equitable, inclusive evaluation approaches. The session features culturally grounded examples and practice exercises in crafting principles.

Module 3: Principles for Evaluation

Participants will examine how principles inform various evaluation approaches, including Utilization-Focused Evaluation, Appreciative Inquiry, Developmental Evaluation, Empowerment Evaluation, and others. We’ll discuss the difference between ethical and effectiveness principles and explore how the Global Alliance for the Future of Food integrates principles across multiple frameworks.

Module 4: Evaluating Principles

The final module focuses on how to evaluate principles directly. Participants will explore how to assess whether principles are meaningful, practiced, and linked to results. We’ll introduce tools like rubrics and use real-world examples to illustrate both inductive and deductive strategies for evaluation.

Who Should Attend

This course is ideal for evaluators, program designers, funders, and organizational leaders seeking to embed guiding principles into evaluation design and practice. It is also well suited for those commissioning or using evaluations with a strong values or equity orientation.

Prerequisites

No prior experience with principles-focused evaluation is required. All materials will be provided.