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Against Cant and Comfort: A Defence of Thoughtful Monitoring and Developmental Evaluation
A note on “cant”: Cant is the empty rhetoric that too often surrounds monitoring and evaluation: jargon-filled reports that obscure more than they reveal; ritual references to “impact,” “learning” and “accountability” that go unquestioned; and… Read more
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From Frontline Stories to Feasible Action
Four Tools for Thoughtful Monitoring: Part Two In Part One, I reflected on more than 30 years in international development and introduced four methods that have consistently helped my colleagues and me make monitoring more… Read more
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What Thirty Years in Development Taught Me About Listening
Four Tools for Thoughtful Monitoring: Part One I recently found myself reflecting on more than 30 years in international development, almost all of them focused on monitoring and evaluation, and increasingly driven by a passion… Read more
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In Defence of Thinking Before Measuring: An Introduction to Thoughtful Monitoring
Introduction We report results more than ever. Yet we learn too slowly how to improve them. The limitations of results-based measurement and management have been visible for decades. They date back to New Public Management… Read more
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How Can Monitoring Become Thoughtful?
Introduction The purpose of monitoring is simple: to improve programme implementation and strengthen the prospects of lasting impact. Yet the development and humanitarian aid community has long given monitoring less attention and fewer resources than… Read more
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In Praise of Failure: What FCDO’s Operational Framework Really Allows Us to Admit
After a recent masterclass with FCDO MEL and statistical advisers, I’m left with a suspicion we rarely articulate: We have built monitoring systems that are structurally disinclined to reveal failure. Not because people are unwilling.… Read more
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Exploring the Future of Housing: Why We Need a Global Affordable Housing Index
Affordable housing remains one of the defining global development challenges of the twenty-first century. Recently, conversations from the Flywheel Economics mini-series highlighted a crucial realisation: while building more homes is an essential first step, it… Read more
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Could Vertical Cities in Nigeria Solve the Urban Housing Challenge?
When urban planners examine rapid population growth across West Africa, the push for vertical cities in Nigeria often dominates the national conversation. However, analysing a metropolis like Kano, a historic commercial hub spread out like… Read more
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Nigeria’s IMF Article IV 2026: Macro Stability Meets Micro Reality
While international economists applaud Nigeria’s aggressive macroeconomic reforms, a starkly different and painful reality plays out on the ground. The recently released Nigeria IMF Article IV 2026 consultation serves as a crucial diagnostic, highlighting a… Read more
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Crafting Careers with Intention: A Conversation with Annika Burke
In an era defined by rapid change, the conventional career ladder feels increasingly obsolete. For many working in complex fields like economics, climate, or international development, the traditional linear path no longer guarantees fulfillment or… Read more
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