1. EVAL Practical Introduction May 2018
DEVCO IT Training

2. Agenda The EVAL module: context, overview
Users, process flowchart, functionalities
Latest and current developments
Questions and Answers
Resources

3. The e-Evaluation Tool & Library - EVAL
Was launched in May 2016
Available for DG DEVCO, DG NEAR and FPI staff, in HQ and Delegations, with your "EU Login" Commission credentials
Available through Firefox and Chrome in English and in French
Since September 2016, it is to be used for all project and programme evaluations managed by DG DEVCO, DG NEAR and FPI
As of April 2018, it is also used to encode Country sector level, Thematic and Budget support evaluations
Currently EVAL covers more than 600 evaluations (217 on-going)
On average, more than 150 evaluations per year are managed in EVAL

4. Users: Roles and Permissions
Internals
Evaluation Managers - DG DEVCO and DG NEAR staff, as well as designated FPI staff, can launch and manage an evaluation through EVAL.
Evaluation Correspondents
Head of Section, Head of Unit
All DEVCO, NEAR and FPI staff for consultation
Reference Group Members (internals and externals)
Internal: HQ Thematic experts, International Aid / Cooperation Officers (Geo-coordinators)
External with limited access: following the evaluation manager's decision, a partner country, civil society organisations
Externals
Contractors, Team Leader, Evaluation experts : with a limited and secure access during the evaluation process

5. Process flowchart Business Layer EVAL phases EM: Evaluation Manager
ECTR: Evaluation Contractor
Italics: step taken out of the IT system
Business Layer
Preparation phase
Inception, Desk & Field phase
Synthesis Phase
Quality Assessment
Dissemination & follow-up
EM:
"New Evaluation"
"Plan Evaluation"
Fill in the
General tab: SAVE
Stakeholders' tab: SAVE
"Start TOR preparation"
EM:
Prepare ToR, have it appro-ved
Management tab: Upload ToR
Set as final
"Next Phase"
ECTR:
Library tab: Consult QAG final report
Download
EM:
Update web form 'QAG on Final report'
Set as final
ECTR:
Create an EU login
ECTR:
CRIS and EVAL Library: download P/P documents
Upload Inception/Desk/
Field Report
Submit for Approval
ECTR:
Upload final report & executive summary (web form)
Submit for Approval
EM:
Discuss with relevant EC services
Fill in web form "Response of the services"
Set as final
"Next Phase"
"Skip Fu+1 phase: Y or N?"
EM:
Discuss with relevant EC services
Fill in web form "Follow-up one year later form"
Set as final
"Complete"
EM:
Management tab: Retrieve evaluation CTR
Evaluation stakeholders tab: add contractor, team leader and experts: SAVE
"Next phase"
EM:
Notification on first draft
Fill in web form "QAG on draft report"
Comment, approve / send back reports
EM:
Notification on
report first version
Share it with
reference group
Approve it or
send back (Ares reg.)
Add comments
"Next phase"
ECTR:
If comments: revised draft of the final report/executive summary
Submit for Approval
EM:
"Next Phase"
ECTR: no more access
Evaluation CN: Here the secretary sets the persons in charge before the evaluation can begin and as of this point the approvals are given by the chairperson not the VA
Planned
TOR
Contract
InceptionDesk Field Phases
Synthesis
QAG
Response of Services
Follow-up
1 year
EVAL phases

6. EVAL is a knowledge-based management tool, acting as…
An "evaluation coach":
EVAL teaches you the step-by-step evaluation process;
You can use previous evaluations as a starting point (e.g. by looking for ToR templates by sectors).
A management tool:
The module sends automated notifications to help meet deadlines;
It facilitates communication and interactions between the different stakeholders;
It enables documents sharing and interactions with other IT modules;
It offers a tool for improving the quality of the final reports and executive summaries;
It provides a communication system to follow-up on recommendations.

7. EVAL is also a tool that supports decision-making,
by means of its library and search functionality:
Giving quick access to findings and conclusions of all past and on-going evaluations sorted for instance by regions, sectors, keywords, EU Delegation;
Highlighting the good practices and lessons learned from recent available evaluation results, to better define your next programmes or interventions.

8. An interactive platform for Contractors:
Access to documentation of evaluated actions is made easier;
Deadlines can be better followed based on the evaluation schedule;
Use of templates and delivery of reports is done online;
The approval/rejection of deliverables is automatically notified to the Contractors.

9. Recent developments New functionality: 'Operational Evaluation Plan';
Better communication with the contractor when assessing the quality of the Draft Final Report;
New Evaluation levels (country-sector level, thematic, budget support);
Improvements in the 'Search' functionality.

10. A. 'Operational Evaluation Plan' (OEP):
An integrated planning system for evaluations;
Flexibility: Possibility to update the OEP at any given time and to export the file with just one click;
Classification: possibility to save the OEP in ARES;
Information: Possibility to consult OEPs for all Units/EU Delegations.

11. B. 'Draft QAG': a tool that allows better quality on the assessment of
the Final Report and its summary:
Clarity: the QAG template has been changed: ease of use and judgment;
Timing: when drafting the Final Report;
Communication: a communication tool with the Contractor who can comment the assessment online;
Transparency: the Contractor automatically receives the Final version of the QAG.

12. On-going developments
Integration with OPSYS;
ARES Integration;
Evaluations possible for procedures not linked to a CRIS Contract (e.g. Strategic evaluations, EU Trust Funds);
Multiple DAC sectors linked to a single evaluation;
Library for "Evaluations done by partners".
Suggestions?

13. Q&A

14. Resources and Support EVAL Knowledge base
Illustrated user manuals by role
Virtual classroom training courses (sign up on EU Learn)
E-Learning videos (available on the Knowledge base)
P/P Evaluation Methodological Approach on Capacity4Dev
For IT issues:
DEVCO APPLICATION SUPPORT
NEAR APPLICATION SUPPORT
or Business Manager for questions and/or suggestions
For methodological support:
DEVCO staff:
NEAR staff: