The monitoring and evaluation process

In AgriLink, the monitoring and evaluation process has been a key feature of the Living Labs.

Although we have not looked at the monitoring and evaluation process in detail in this course, feedback from the Living Lab monitors and facilitators strongly suggest that the monitoring and evaluation process was essential to help the individual Living Labs document, reflect and adapt their ideas, progress and direction and improve conceptual, methodological and practical skills and expertise over time. The discussions, training and peer-review exercises in each of the meetings we ran allowed for learning and adaptations within, between and beyond the Living Labs.

As befits a research project, the monitoring and evaluation process was resource intensive and intellectually demanding for all involved. While this had clear benefits as noted, it also ran the risk of ‘weighing down’ facilitators and monitors (and perhaps Living Lab processes), especially when trying to deal with the day-to-day realities of convening and supporting Living Lab.

There is a fine balance to be struck as the work of a Living Lab, as an open-ended learning processes, is dependent on some form of ‘local’ monitoring and evaluation process. Where the monitoring and evaluation process can be extended across several Living Labs, then the potential for learning increases considerably.