Orientation to Evaluation

Welcome to our evaluation orientation. This guide introduces you to the foundations, frameworks, and tools that underpin our approach to regenerative evaluation - a practice that goes beyond conventional measurement to reveal the flows of multiple forms of capital through living systems.

Purpose of This Orientation

This orientation folder serves as your gateway to understanding how we approach evaluation as a living practice rather than a static assessment. It provides:

1. A conceptual foundation for understanding evaluation as the practice of valuing energy flows

2. Practical frameworks for mapping and tracking multiple forms of capital

3. An introduction to the technological tools that make this approach accessible and actionable

By engaging with these materials, you’ll develop the capacity to participate as a co-creator in evaluation processes that honor complexity while providing actionable insights for regenerative development.

What You’ll Find Inside

Foundations: The philosophical underpinnings of our approach, including the shift from conventional evaluation to what we call “e-valuation”-the practice of iteratively valuing flows of energy. This section explains why regenerative systems require evaluation approaches that can capture emergence, complexity, and multiple forms of value.

Frameworks: An exploration of the Multi-Capital Framework and Five Systemic Spheres that structure our evaluation approach. This section shows how we track flows across social, natural, cultural, economic, and other forms of capital, and how these flows influence evolution across cultural, economic, social, political, and ecological spheres.

Tech & Tools: An introduction to the technological infrastructure that supports our evaluation methodology, including Telegram bots, data repositories, and visualization dashboards. This section explains how these tools work together to capture, process, and visualize capital flows in accessible ways.

Why This Approach Matters

Conventional evaluation approaches often focus narrowly on financial metrics or predetermined outcomes, missing the rich tapestry of value that flows through regenerative systems. Our approach addresses this limitation by:

1. Making visible the often-invisible flows of multiple forms of capital

2. Engaging stakeholders as co-creators rather than subjects of evaluation

3. Providing real-time feedback that enables adaptive learning and response

4. Honoring both quantitative and qualitative dimensions of value

5. Tracking evolution across multiple systemic spheres

This orientation draws inspiration from several pioneering frameworks and methodologies:

• The MultiCapital Scorecard developed by Martin Thomas and Mark McElroy, which provides a structure for defining capitals and progression metrics4 

• Participatory evaluation approaches that involve stakeholders at all stages of the evaluation process3 6 

• Regenerative design principles that focus on creating systems that integrate the needs of society with those of the natural environment5 

• Developmental Evaluation as articulated by Michael Quinn Patton, which emphasizes evaluation in complex, emergent contexts

By integrating these diverse influences, we’ve created an evaluation approach that is uniquely suited to regenerative work-one that transforms evaluation from a mechanical exercise into a dynamic practice of listening to the pulse of living systems.

As you explore the materials in this orientation folder, we invite you to approach them with playfulness, curiosity, and a willingness to experiment. Remember that this methodology itself is living and evolving-your engagement with it will help shape its continued development.

Welcome to the practice of valuing energy flows. Let’s begin.