Reflection on: “Evaluation in Norway: A 25-Year Assessment”

Abstract

My comments are based on extensive experience of evaluation work over a period of more than 30 years, both as an evaluator, manager, member of review panels and advisory committees in Norway and in multilateral organisations, as well as an author of several books and articles on evaluation and organisational development. I am currently associate professor II at VID specialised university. The assessment under discussion in the article Evaluation in Norway: A-25- year assessment is unique in various ways. It has a long-term perspective, it is based almost exclusively on a public database, and it was conducted by someone outside government. Similar Norwegian assessments use data from surveys and interviews, have a short-term perspective and are performed by someone on the inside of government. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the article is the interpretations by the authors of what this says about the status of evaluation in Norway.