Evaluations
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• ​​RIMSD Website Review (October 2010). Study undertaken to review the internal and external websites of the Research Information Management Service Division (RIMSD) of IDRC. Questionnaires developed and administered to IDRC staff, and a sample of external users, to learn how they use the sites, obtain feedback on the information they use, and seek input on the organization and navigation of the sites. Study suggested improvements that should be made to improve access to information and enhance navigation.

• World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ) Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Project (SjCOOP): Evaluation and Recommendations (May 2009). This evaluation was undertaken as the first phase of financial support was coming to an end. The evaluation assessed the project’s accomplishments and shortcomings and made recommendations that were used in the development of a proposal for a second phase of donor support.

• Tracer Study of Awards Programs Supported by IDRC (February 2007). Research undertaken to determine the contributions made by several of the Centre's training activities to the long-term involvement of Canadian students in international development. Recommendations made on how the Training and Awards Program of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) might improve the administrative and program aspects of these awards.

• IDRC 2006 CD-ROM: User Survey (October 2006). Study was undertaken to obtain user feedback on a CD distributed by the the Communications Division of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The results and recommendations were used to develop a business plan for a new version of the CD.

• RoKS Competitive Grants Program: Review and Recommendations (December 2005). The overall objective of the review was to address specific program and administrative issues directly related to the ROKS Research Awards and make recommendations for management of future competitions. Recommendations were incorporated into processes and procedures used in subsequent competitions.

• Resource Center for Urban Agriculture and Forestry (RUAF): A Mid-Term Evaluation (March 2003) (conducted with Dr. Axel Drescher). Designed to assess the outputs and identify the impacts of this project. Report used by implementing partners and funding agencies to enhance the relevancy, effectiveness, and efficiency of the current project and to reflect on the longer-term needs of the network and the factors to be considered in the design and funding of a second phase of the project.

• Humanitarian Mine Action — Information and Communications Project (November 2002). An end-of-project evaluation designed to document and assess the changes made to the focus of the project, the accomplishments of the project, and the training and support that was provided to local staff. Evaluation suggested how advances made in this project could benefit future mine-action projects in Angola and Mozambique.

• Evaluation and Learning System for Acacia (ELSA) (February 2001). Reviewed on-going evaluations of Acacia-supported activities related to school networking, multipurpose community telecentres (MCTs), and community development and ICTs. Report used as input to presentation to IDRC Board of Governors on accomplishments of the Acacia Program Initiative.

• GK-AIMS Evaluation (April 2000). Designed to learn how to better facilitate the sharing of planning information between Global Knowledge (GK) partners. Focus of evaluation was on identifying lessons that could be learned and applied to future efforts. Results of evaluation were used to redesign the project for second-phase funding.

• An Evaluation of PAN’s Website and Technical Services (March 2000). Examined the usefulness, necessity, and impact of the technical services the Pan Asian Networking (PAN) has provided to its partners and the need to continue the development of the PAN webserver for this purpose. Evaluation results used to plan future IDRC support to PAN activities in Asia.

• PAN: An External Review (June 1999) (senior reviewer, conducted with Dr. Nabil Harfoush). Provided external comment to IDRC’s Board of Governors on the performance of the PAN program initiative. Provided input to the PI and to Programs Branch management on possible future directions for research support in the application of information and communication technologies to development.

• Unganisha: An Assessment of Results and Effectiveness (June 1999). Unganisha was funded as a project by IDRC to extend the Centre’s connectivity to its projects and facilitate collaboration between projects, between IDRC program initiatives (PIs) and program officers, and between different groups within the Centre. This end-of-project evaluation was designed to determine the reach and effectiveness of Unganisha within both IDRC’s research community and the Centre itself.

• MINISIS: An Evaluation (January 1999). Designed to help define IDRC’s future support for MINISIS, a software package it developed specifically to meet the information management needs of Third World users. Evaluation addressed users’ perceptions, changes in the environment for the software, the relationship between MINISIS and IDRC, and the support needed for software development.

• Global Network for Disaster Management (LISN II): An Evaluation (June 1998). Examined the effectiveness of this multi-million dollar CIDA project that supported disaster preparedness and emergency response by using new communication technologies to enhance the information infrastructure and services available to National Societies within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The evaluation contributed directly to the design of Phase III of the project.

• Bellanet: A Mid-Term Review (November 1997). Designed to take stock of Bellanet’s (www.bellanet.org) achievements over the first half of this pilot project. Evaluation identified project’s accomplishments as well as shortcomings and identified areas in which changes were required to help achieve longer-term success.

• The Pan Asian Networking Project: A Survey of Communications Activities (September 1997). Designed to understand how information and communication technologies (ICTs) were being used within the Pan Asian Networking (PAN) Program Initiative. In addition, tested the usefulness of an ICT Audit Framework developed by Sam Lanfranco.

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• Use of Information and Communication Technologies in IDRC Projects: Lessons Learned (April 1997).Tested assumptions about the role played by information and communication technologies (ICTs) in development. Study provided input into the design and implementation of the Acacia Initiative and identified opportunities to use ICTs to enhance the utilization of IDRC-supported research results.