Evaluating interventions and underlying behavioural mechanisms: Examples from governments and public private partnerships: Frans Leeuw (Keynote Speaker)

This workshop is designed for evaluators interested in the underlying behavioural mechanisms that can be seen as the ‘cogs and wheels’ of interventions.
Firstly, the very idea of ‘behavioural mechanisms’ underlying interventions will be discussed. What do we talk about when we talk about ‘mechanisms’ and ‘interventions’? Links will be discussed between mechanisms and context (in line with recent work by realist evaluators).  Secondly, a methodology to ‘find’ behavioural mechanisms will be discussed and used.  Thirdly, ways to test the workings of behavioural mechanisms will be on the agenda, including practical challenges in relation to how to frame this work.

Examples come from public sector interventions in fields such as crime and justice, fraud and corruption, the environment, family policies and public/private partnerships in education and health.

In addition to theoretical aspects, this workshop will also pay attention to practical “how to” aspects of this approach.

The workshop will employ mini-lecture, hands on exercises, and discussion. Participants will receive some reference material and resources for further information.

Workshop objectives
Participants will learn:

• approaches to detect and discuss underlying behavioural mechanisms when studying the impact/workings of interventions;
• work with these approaches and appraise their pros and cons;
• obtain state-of-the-art knowledge on scientific research into mechanisms (vis-à-vis contexts), including a shortlist of most important mechanisms that have already been detected; and
• get involved in persuading colleagues and administrators/policy makers regarding the importance of this type of evaluative work.

This workshop is aimed at … novice to intermediate participants.

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