4.2 Introduction

The field of evaluation is a diverse field that spans different disciplines. Disciplines such as education, psychology, sociology, political science, clinical sciences, and others have contributed with different epistemological perspectives, methodologies, and methods. Some have contributed to niche methodologies, others have contributed to debates across disciplines and advanced researchers’ thinking and practices in their respective fields. Dozens of books exist which present varied evaluation models, evaluation approaches that place emphasis on different aspects, questions, and engagement processes. It would be difficult to find two evaluators who share the same perspective on evaluation’s role and on how to conduct a given evaluation project. This diversity contributes to the richness of evaluation as a field and as a set of practices. Beyond this diversity, evaluators feel they belong to a group (a meta discipline) having a role which consists of offering a critical perspective on interventions with a focus on making the work they do useful.

As an evaluator, I greatly value this diversity. I appreciate being exposed to a multitude of approaches, ideas, and positions, and having the privilege to debate with those who share a willingness to improving our practices and societies—enhancing agility and reflexivity in refining evaluation methods. This book proposes an evaluation model based on the foundation established by many authors who have significantly contributed to the field. I won’t impose a specific role to evaluation or a definition, as I value the richness of the current diversity. Instead, I hope to offer flexible avenues for integrating impacts on planetary health in all our projects, while respecting this diversity of perspectives.