Catalysing Transformative Change: IEAc Showcases the Three Horizons Initiative at the SAMEA Conference

Blog by  Sibongile Sithole – Emerging Evaluator at SAMEA (2024)

Catalysing Transformative Change: IEAc Showcases the Three Horizons Initiative at the SAMEA Conference

The South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA) Conference, held in Johannesburg from 7–9 October 2024, offered a vibrant platform for the International Evaluation Academy (IEAc) to showcase its work and vision.

This year’s conference theme, VUCA-VUKA! Catalysing Change Through Monitoring and Evaluation, combined the concept of VUCA—volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous—with Vuka, a Zulu word meaning “to awaken.” This powerful framing ignited important conversations about the decolonisation of national evaluation systems and the adaptation of community-focused evaluation methods, among many others.

Introducing the Three Horizons Evaluation Initiative (3HEi)

The IEAc hosted a two-hour co-creation session focused on the Three Horizons Evaluation Initiative (3HEi)—a project well aligned with the conference’s transformation-centred theme.

Dr Ian Goldman, President of the IEAc, opened the session by introducing the Academy and its motivation for initiating 3HEi, a collaborative project in which SAMEA is a partner. Three Horizons expert Ian Kendrick followed with an insightful presentation, outlining the initiative’s objectives and its transformative potential in the evaluation space. He shared examples from past projects, including work with the European Health Futures Forum, which helped contextualise the value of the framework.

A Dynamic and Engaging Co-Creation Session

The session sparked great interest, particularly among attendees who were encountering the Three Horizons framework for the first time. Many expressed enthusiasm about staying involved in the initiative—highlighting its promise as a tool for transformative evaluation.

The session also included a segment on a survey that had been distributed to a group of evaluators, inviting input on how evaluation could evolve to meet global challenges. During the session, participants were tasked with analysing survey responses, applying their insights in real time. They were split into 13 groups of three, each group working with one survey question and up to 20 associated responses.

Using a collaborative Google Sheet, the groups summarised their assigned responses into clear, 10–15-word summaries. Notably, some summaries had been pre-generated by ChatGPT—these were helpful, but participants quickly noted the importance of human validation, reinforcing that while AI can be a valuable aid, human insight remains essential for meaningful analysis.

“I loved the introductory presentation to the 3H approach. It was such a great presentation.” — Noted by a fellow Conference Attendee

Looking Ahead

The session was a resounding success. Eight participants indicated a desire to remain involved in the analysis process, reinforcing the session’s collaborative and catalytic impact.

Looking forward, the IEAc will continue leveraging events like the SAMEA Conference to test ideas, gather insights, and further develop the 3HEi framework. The aim is to keep building a shared understanding of how evaluation can drive truly transformative change.

For more information about the Three Horizons Evaluation Initiative and its emerging insights, contact:

• Ian Kendrick – [email protected]
• Zenda Ofir – [email protected]
• Ian Goldman – [email protected]