Visionary Evaluation for a Sustainable, Equitable Future

Book excerpt: Take a journey to 2030 where Visionary Evaluatives abound and link with one another in actively bringing about a sustainable, equitable future. Utilizing a creative storytelling approach, Visionary Evaluation for a Sustainable, Equitable Future brings forward the centrality of values in conjunction with the role of evaluation in building a future of well-being for people, nature, and planet. Visionary Evaluatives are guided by six principles. Those principles highlight a commitment to equity and the sustainability of nature as core values. They emphasize an orientation of humility, compassion, and transparency as Visionary Evaluatives engage with others in a world of living, entangled systems with both obvious and hidden intersectionalities. They require Visionary Evaluatives to engage in deep praxis—mindful and challenging reflection on what is being learned through the intersection of values, iterative action and inquiry, theory, outcomes, and vision. A diverse group of chapter authors share their wisdom through envisioning 2030 and what it might mean to move in the world applying aspects of the Visionary Evaluative Principles. Through Visionary Evaluation for a Sustainable, Equitable Future, you will learn about how you can contribute to a sustainable, equitable future not only in evaluations, as either users or practitioners, but also in your daily actions and lives. Praise for Visionary Evaluation for a Sustainable, Equitable Future What might the world be like if it was inhabited by people imbued with evaluation? Here's a very interesting exploration of such a world. And it will additionally enrich your thinking about how to vote in 2020. Michael Scriven Founder, Faster Forward Fund The core values and principles of visionary evaluatives read too good to be true: envisioning a world of humility, sustainability, equity, compassion, respect, understanding, and engaging deeply, toward iterative action. What a tall order and request this book is making for those of us in the field of evaluation! Bravo to the authors for pushing us. Their book is compelling and futuristic, written as a story that helps us imagine and re-image our field, our lives, and our world. Rodney Hopson Professor, University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign A fascinating journey into the future. The heroes, “Visionary Evaluatives", catalyze forces including the UN Sustainable Development Goals movement. In their innovative blending of evaluation designs and daily living habits, the heroes demonstrate the strong beliefs in the value of the sustainability of the planet and equity for all its inhabitants. Deborah Rugg President, Evaluation Consultants LLC; Former Chair, UN Evaluation Group Humanity's current trajectory on Earth is unsustainable. Transformation is needed at every level and in every arena of action. The alternative may be no future at all. This book and its Visionary Evaluation Principles envisions evaluation as part of the transformation. Embrace the vision. Act on it. How? Start by reading Visionary Evaluation. Michael Quinn Patton Author of Blue Marble Evaluation