Evaluating Complexity: Theory, Evidence and Practical Guidance

Recent work on complexity theory has significant implications for our conceptions of the nature of social systems and for ideas about how we can gain an understanding and achieve beneficial change of such systems. This paper seeks to identify some of the key implications for our thinking about the role, purpose and practice of evaluation of policy initiatives in complex, dynamic social systems, with a particular focus on theory-based evaluation. It covers issues relating to how we can gain an understanding of complex systems, how we can change social systems through policy action, and how we can evaluate such policy action to achieve understanding, learning and practical guidance.