Perceptions of OED: Feedback from Members of the Board of Directors

Spotlight

ADB's Annual Report 2007 draws attention to Independent Evaluation at ADB.

In 2007, interviews with Board members revealed the general perception of the mission and functions of OED as to provide independent assessment with a direct link to operations. OED is seen as collegial, dedicated, and professional. While OED has generally changed with the changing focus of ADB, there is an inevitable lag as evaluation activities adjust to new organizational thrusts.

Perceptions are that OED has been able to influence ADB's operations at all levels by providing concrete recommendations based on solid and credible analysis. At the project/program level, the time lag between completion and evaluation is an issue, as evaluation findings can easily be dismissed as discussing the old way of doing things, while current practices may have changed. At the strategy and policy level, the improved timing of country and sector assistance program evaluations has increased impact on the design of new country partnership strategies.

In its knowledge management, Board members identified that OED faces several interface problems. Within ADB, OED should open up channels of communications, become even more specific about actionable recommendations, and delineate accountabilities clearly. The most difficult interface is with DMCs: OED should emphasize development of evaluation capacity. In the eyes of wider clienteles such as NGOs, civil society organizations, and the general public, OED should not only be independent, but be perceived as such. It should produce concise and insightful summaries of its work that people can access and understand easily.

To help ADB improve its development effectiveness, Board members invited OED to

• develop a comprehensive annual development effectiveness report-building on the Annual Evaluation Review and Annual Report on Loan and Technical Assistance Portfolio Performance-that presents a truly serious discussion of results and holds ADB's Management accountable for what it promised to do;
• work in ways that enhance the link between development effectiveness and resource allocation;
• generally emphasize simplicity in project/program designs;
• keep the focus of ADB on poverty reduction, both income and non-income;
• further strengthen the design and monitoring framework of projects, in particular by identifying killer assumptions and risks; and
• promote more interaction and sharing among ADB departments and offices.