How to Center Humans in Evaluation: Practical guidance to embrace the complexity of human experience, benefit participants, and address program leader needs

Humans have complex lives that are heavily influenced by intangibles (e.g., love, trust, hope) and other subjective dimensions like relationships, experiences, and perceptions. These ‘squishy’ factors are deliberately framed out of traditional evaluations in the service of objectivity – but at what cost? Does objectivity require objectifying the people we serve? The newly developing lens of “Human Centered Evaluation” (HCE) addresses these questions directly by providing practical guidance to address the needs and experiences of participants in all their living complexity. This workshop will provide practical guidance to deconstruct the sometimes mechanistic, depersonalized nature of traditional evaluation and center the full reality of human experience. Participants will be introduced to both quantitative and qualitative methods – including how focus groups and interviews can be reconsidered to simultaneously contribute to program and evaluation goals.
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Aaron Kates – Effect X, LLC; Kelly Minas – Center for Congregations; Kurt Wilson – Effect X LLC