OL-ECB TIG Week: Using Evaluation for Organizational Adaptation by Courtney Long

Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025

Hi! I’m Courtney Long, a director of program development and innovation at UPMC Health Plan. I support the Quality Improvement department in building infrastructure for organizational learning and using evaluative thinking to accelerate improvement.

Organizations today operate in a rapidly changing environment—political uncertainty, shifting social dynamics, and evolving stakeholder expectations. In this landscape, evaluation is more than a tool for accountability—it’s essential for learning, strategy, and adaptability. It helps organizations stay focused on their mission while responding effectively to change.

The Role of Evaluation in Organizational Adaptation

Evaluation allows organizations to systematically assess strategies, programs, and impact. With data-driven insights, organizations can make informed decisions, refine approaches, and pivot when necessary. Instead of reacting to change, they can adapt proactively. Benefits of using evaluation for adaptation include:

• Identifying Emerging Trends: Recognize patterns and shifts in the external environment.
• Enhancing Decision-Making: Ground decisions in evidence, not assumptions.
• Improving Program Effectiveness: Continuously refine efforts for greater impact.
• Strengthening Stakeholder Engagement: Build trust through transparency and shared learning.

Navigating Political and Social Uncertainty

Agility is essential in today’s complex political and social climate. Shifting policies, funding priorities, and public sentiment can significantly affect organizations. Evaluation helps navigate these changes by:

1. Monitoring Policy Changes: Track how policy shifts impact program delivery and adapt strategies accordingly.
2. Assessing Community Needs: Stay responsive by collecting real-time stakeholder feedback.
3. Enhancing Advocacy Efforts: Use data to demonstrate program impact and influence policy.
4. Building Organizational Resilience: Foster a culture that embraces learning and can pivot under pressure.

Hot Tips

1. Develop Real-Time Feedback Loops: Fast-changing environments require quick insights. Organizations can:

• Use rapid tools like pulse surveys.
• Implement real-time dashboards.
• Encourage teams to document lessons learned.

2. Embed Adaptive Learning into Organizational Culture: A learning mindset supports long-term adaptability. Leaders should:

• Promote open conversations about evaluation findings.
• Host regular reflection sessions or debriefs.
• Celebrate innovation and adaptive thinking.

3. Use Scenario Planning to Prepare for Change: Evaluation data helps plan for multiple futures. This includes:

• Identifying potential risks and backup plans.
• Testing responses to different political or economic shifts.
• Ensuring flexibility in strategy.

4. Leverage Participatory Evaluation Approaches: Inclusive evaluation leads to smarter, more relevant adaptation. Organizations should:

• Engage staff, partners, and communities in the process.
• Collect diverse perspectives to identify what’s working.
• Foster shared ownership of the findings and next steps.

Rad Resource

Participatory evaluation by Better Evaluation

Moving Forward

In times of uncertainty, evaluation is a vital tool for resilience. By systematically collecting, analyzing, and applying data, organizations can adapt more effectively, make better decisions, and stay true to their mission.

Evaluation isn’t a one-time exercise—it’s an ongoing, dynamic process that supports strategic growth and long-term success. Organizations that embed evaluation into their culture and decision-making will be better equipped to remain relevant, responsive, and impactful—whatever the future holds.

The American Evaluation Association is hosting Organizational Learning and Evaluation Capacity Building (OL-ECB) Topical Interest Group Week. The contributions all this week to AEA365 come from our OL-ECB TIG members. Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this AEA365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the AEA365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an AEA365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to AEA365@eval.org. AEA365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators. The views and opinions expressed on the AEA365 blog are solely those of the original authors and other contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the American Evaluation Association, and/or any/all contributors to this site.