From plan to action: Adapting evaluation to serve the developmental needs of a newly-funded multidisciplinary research center

• Published in: Evaluation and program planning 2020-02, Vol.78, p.101729, Article 101729
• Main Authors: Mitchell, Rachel Claire, Israel, Glenn D., Diehl, David C., Galindo-Gonzalez, Sebastian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Creation process; Developmental evaluation; Geography; Housing; Interdisciplinary aspects; Pilot Projects; Political culture; Research centers; Stakeholders; Teams
• ISSN: 0149-7189; 1873-7870
• DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2019.101729

•SCCAHS evaluation used developmental evaluation (DE) for a new research center, adapting to challenges research projects faced in the real world.•Successful use of DE principles enhanced understanding of research projects and connections with the larger center.•Challenges encountered included noncompliance with reporting and conflicting opinions about center purpose among stakeholders· Evaluation used co-creation with interview data from other NIOSH ag centers and feedback from stakeholders in developing evaluation products.•Team completed traditional evaluation tasks, but also filled a less traditional communications role not outlined at the start of the project. The Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (SCCAHS) is one of many newly-funded federal research centers, housing five multidisciplinary research projects and seven pilot projects, and serving a multi-state region. In the early stages of such a complex project, with multiple teams separated by geography and disciplines, the evaluation program has been integral in connecting internal and external stakeholders at the center and project levels. We used a developmental evaluation (DE) framework to respond to the complex political environment surrounding agricultural health and safety in the southeast; to engage external stakeholders in guiding the center’s research and outreach trajectories; to support center research teams in a co-creation process to develop logic models and tailored indicators; and to provide timely and feedback within the center to address communications gaps identified by the evaluation program. By using DE principles to shape monitoring and evaluation approaches, our evaluation program has adapted to the dynamic circumstances presented as our center’s progress has been translated from a plan in a grant proposal to implementation.