Beyond Objectivity: Exploring Autoethnography as a Tool for Evaluation

Autoethnography is more than storytelling—it is a structured approach that connects lived experience to broader cultural, institutional, and social contexts. By integrating self-reflection and personal narrative into evaluation, it enables evaluators to examine assumptions, surface unspoken narratives, and understand how context shapes meaning. This method moves beyond detached objectivity, embracing positionality and reflexivity as tools for deeper insight. Autoethnography allows evaluators—and potentially program participants—to explore the intersection of personal and professional experience, expanding approaches to evidence and strengthening engagement with communities. This workshop not only introduces participants to autoethnographic approaches but also highlights their significance in evaluation practice. Moving beyond explanation to experience, participants will engage in a guided reflection, real-world case scenario, or hands-on activity to explore how autoethnographic approaches can enhance evaluation practice. Attendees will gain a greater awareness of how self-reflection adds depth to their work and practical strategies for integrating autoethnographic methods.
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