Hi! We are the outgoing co-chairs of the American Evaluation Association Systems in Evaluation Topical Interest Group (SETIG). I’m Hayat Askar, an evaluator from the MENA region, actively engaged in international evaluation work. I have worked in both international development and government—two distinct but connected systems—and I believe evaluation has a unifying role, bridging differences to create meaningful change. And I am Dr. Brittany N. Dernberger, a social scientist who has 15 years of experience spearheading research and organizational learning across academia, philanthropy, government, large international NGOs, and small nonprofits. Brittany leads global initiatives to measure systems-level change at CARE and is a sought after speaker and consultant.
We had the honor of leading SETIG this past year during a very special milestone: the 20th Anniversary of SETIG! SETIG was founded in 2004 and has been a thriving space for its members since that time.
Our membership spans a diverse range of experience with “systems in evaluation,” with around 60% of members having two years or less of experience and 11% having more than 10 years of experience. This creates a dynamic mix of wisdom and curiosity, with opportunities for mentorship and learning across SETIG members. Interestingly, members with five or more years of experience often report greater confidence in using systems concepts and tools, highlighting the importance of fostering connections and collaborations within the group.
Throughout this week, there will be posts that reflect on that important history and showcase the ways systems thinking continues to shape evaluation practice. As a community of more than 400 members, SETIG has brought together seasoned evaluators who helped establish this field, founding members who laid its strong groundwork, and emerging evaluators who bring fresh ideas and perspectives.
This week’s posts align with our diverse membership, offering a variety of insights and reflections:
- Jan Noga, a founding member, will share her reflections on the “Learning from our History” SETIG session held in Portland at AEA 2024.
- Mari Gasiorowicz will highlight why systems thinking is essential in all evaluations and provide practical tips to integrate it into everyday practice.
- Tanushree Banerjee and Dr. Lisa Abrams will explore how systems-thinking approaches are applied to educational program evaluation, a Teacher Residency Program.
- Katie Winters and Beverly Parsons will discuss the role of intuition and the importance of intergenerational knowledge transfer in system transformation.
- Omodolapo Ojo will discuss how her journey in applying systems thinking in evaluation fueled her drive to learn, emphasizing the importance of foundational knowledge and hands-on experience in gaining confidence for evaluation work.
- Finally, Tjip Walker, our incoming SETIG co-chair, brings up an important question on what barriers could affect the intersection of systems thinking and evaluation practice
Get involved
As we celebrate this important milestone, we hope you will join us in reflecting on our history, learning from one another, and shaping the future of systems in evaluation. Let’s make this 20th anniversary a moment to connect, share, and grow together! It’s been an honor to serve the section as co-chairs, and we look forward to watching SETIG continue to flourish. Want to learn more? To receive updates, participate in events, and get more involved, become a member of the section through your AEA online profile and check out the SETIG Discussion Board.
The American Evaluation Association is hosting this week with our colleagues in the Systems in Evaluation Topical Interest Group. The contributions all this week to AEA365 come from SETIG members. Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this AEA365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the AEA365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an AEA365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to AEA365@eval.org. AEA365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators. The views and opinions expressed on the AEA365 blog are solely those of the original authors and other contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the American Evaluation Association, and/or any/all contributors to this site.