Handreichung 3/2024

Kausalanalysen in der Evaluation richtig anwenden
Methodenvielfalt wahrnehmen, gegenstands­angemessen arbeiten und Kapazitäten stärken

Simon Müller (DeZIM)

How can the impact of projects and programs be measured effectively? Our new handout provides a comprehensive insight into causal analyses and their application in complex evaluation settings. Especially in sensitive areas such as the prevention of extremism, the promotion of democracy and civic education, a careful methodological approach is crucial. Simon Müller from the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) presents alternative approaches to the widely known RCTs and highlights the added value of quasi-experimental, qualitative and mixed-method designs.

This policy brief offers practice-based recommendations for choosing the right methods, strengthening capacities for causal and impact analyses and integrating impact questions into project planning from an early stage. From systematic qualitative approaches such as process tracing and QCA to mixed-methods evaluations: The variety of methods is well described and their practical benefits are examined profoundly.

For all those who work in evaluation, practice and planning and want to promote quality assurance in their projects, this report provides valuable impulses and concrete recommendations for action.

Simon Müller studied Social Sciences at the University of Düsseldorf and Social Policy & Social Research at University College London (UCL). He has worked at the German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and the OECD. As a consultant in the fields of development and social policy, he was engaged with Syspons. Since the end of 2022, he has been working as a research associate at the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM). Here, his work focuses, among other things, on impact evaluation and assessment.