--- title: Weaving Together Accountability and Learning in Complex Situations description: To ensure that evaluation contributes to community change, we need to build on a field of evaluation often still stuck in traditional ideas and practices. image: https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/hubfs/Photos/Image%20Library/Weaving-510224-edited.jpg --- [![20yrLogo-2_WhiteOrange](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Administration/Tamarack%20Logos/20yrLogo-2_WhiteOrange.png?width=200&height=47&name=20yrLogo-2_WhiteOrange.png "20yrLogo-2_WhiteOrange")](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/?hsLang=en-us) # Weaving Together Accountability and Learning in Complex Situations Posted on February 14, 2018 [By Mark Cabaj](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/author/mark-cabaj) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![Weaving-510224-edited.jpg](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Photos/Image%20Library/Weaving-510224-edited.jpg?width=320&name=Weaving-510224-edited.jpg)Michael Quinn Patton, evaluation expert, has argued that even the best intentioned, well-resourced evaluation processes can become, “the enemy of social innovation” if change-makers, evaluators and funders employ a traditional – rather than developmental – approach to assessment.   In October 2017, the dynamic team at the [Community University Partnership](https://www.ualberta.ca/faculties/centresinstitutes/community-university-partnership) (University of Alberta) made this topic the central theme of their annual general meeting, a reflection of their commitment to providing useful research and evaluation in a variety of important social issues across the region. I had the pleasure of presenting to a group of about 120 people during this gathering and have since written a follow up blog emphasizing the three major points of my presentation along with an additional point that I couldn’t help but add in, having not had time in October. The Community University Partnership annual meeting was yet another reminder that we need to figure out ways to ensure that evaluation contributes – rather than short-circuits – our efforts to tackle complex situations in our communities. To do this, we need to build on – yet change – a field of evaluation often still stuck in more traditional ideas and practices. The Community University Partnership is one of the organizations trying to do just that. **Learn More:** - Read the full blog - [Weaving Together Accountability and Learning in Complex Situations: A Wicked Challenge](http://www.evaluationcapacitynetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Formatted_Weaving-together-accountability-and-learning-in-complex-situations_Cabaj_20171215.pdf) - Learn more about the [Community University Partnership](https://www.ualberta.ca/faculties/centresinstitutes/community-university-partnership) - Join Mark Cabaj at one of our upcoming events: - [Collective Impact 3.0](https://events.tamarackcommunity.ca/ci-3.0?hsLang=en-us) - February 28 - March 2, 2018 - [Evaluation Masterclass Series](https://events.tamarackcommunity.ca/evaluation-masterclass?hsLang=en-us) - where he'll be joined by Michael Quinn Patton, kicking off March 12th! Topics: [Evaluating Community Impact](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/topic/evaluating-community-impact), [Evaluation](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/topic/evaluation), [Mark Cabaj](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/topic/mark-cabaj), [Social Innovation](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/topic/social-innovation), [Blog](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/topic/blog) ![Mark Cabaj](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/hubfs/Mark%20Cabaj.jpg) ### By [Mark Cabaj](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/author/mark-cabaj) Mark is President of the consulting company From Here to There and an Associate of Tamarack. Mark has first-hand knowledge of using evaluation as a policy maker, philanthropist, and activist, and has played a big role in promoting the merging practice of developmental evaluation in Canada. Mark is currently focused on how diverse organizations and communities work together to tackle complex issues, on social innovation as a "sub-scene" of community change work, and on strategic learning and evaluation. ## Related Posts [![](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/hubfs/Quilt.png)](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/learning-indigenous-ways-of-knowing-and-being?hsLang=en-us) #### [Learning Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/learning-indigenous-ways-of-knowing-and-being?hsLang=en-us) [![](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/hubfs/Vibrant-Communities-Calgary-to-10.png)](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/vibrant-communities-calgarys-top-10-highlights-of-2021?hsLang=en-us) #### [Vibrant Communities Calgary’s Top 10 Highlights of 2021](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/vibrant-communities-calgarys-top-10-highlights-of-2021?hsLang=en-us) [![](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/hubfs/elena-rouame-tools.jpg)](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/tools-for-2022?hsLang=en-us) #### [Tools for 2022: Tamarack’s Top 10 Resources published in 2021](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/tools-for-2022?hsLang=en-us) [![BACK TO THE LATEST](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/316071/e6ffa9bb-4467-4833-8ecc-eb340b11d829.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/316071/e6ffa9bb-4467-4833-8ecc-eb340b11d829) [![20yrLogo-2_WhiteOrange](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Administration/Tamarack%20Logos/20yrLogo-2_WhiteOrange.png?width=3401&name=20yrLogo-2_WhiteOrange.png "20yrLogo-2_WhiteOrange")](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/?hsLang=en-us) ### Tamarack [Home](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/?hsLang=en-us) [Latest](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest) [Events](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/eventlisting?hsLang=en-us) [Donate](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/donate?hsLang=en-us) [About](https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/whoweare?hsLang=en-us) ### Follow Us [** ** ](https://www.facebook.com/TamarackInstitute) [** ** ](https://twitter.com/Tamarack_Inst) [** ** ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/tamarack-institute-for-community-engagement)   In the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and truth we honour and acknowledge that our work occurs across Turtle Island (North America), which has been home since time immemorial to the ancestors of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples. ### Subscribe Be in the know. 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