Bricolage is a practice to design and implement evaluations. Bricolage is important for evaluators, like us at Itad, and evaluation commissioners because it enables us to address both complexity and rigour.
For example, in the majority of our projects, we support clients to evaluate and make evidence-based decisions on complex interventions or interventions engaging with complex systems – including climate change, migration and conflict. These problems are often multidimensional, involving diverse stakeholders, and with outcomes that are hard to predict. In addition, evaluations are often expected to generate findings that are valid, transferable, actionable and reflect local stakeholder’s values. One single method will not meet these needs, so we must combine and adapt evaluation methods: this in essence is bricolage.
Faced with multiple priorities and constraints, we often combine the components of certain methods to bolster the weaknesses of others. We also skip, substitute, and repurpose steps and tools of evaluation methods to understand complex phenomena in a rigorous way. Bricolage provides us with a framework to transparently combine and adapt methods, meeting the needs of complexity-aware, learning-oriented programmes.
Watch our video: ‘What is bricolage in evaluation?’
Bricolage in action
Recent examples where we have used bricolage include our evaluations of the Newton Fund and the Fleming Fund Grants Programme:
The Newton Fund is a seven-year £735m UK official development assistance fund which aims to promote the economic, sustainable development and social welfare of partnering countries through research and innovation. Read our Newton Fund Evaluation Report.
The Fleming Fund is a £265m UK aid programme supporting up to 25 countries across Africa and Asia to tackle antimicrobial resistance. Read our Fleming Fund Evaluation Report.
Recommended reading
If you are new to bricolage and want to learn more, a good starting point is The Art and Craft of Bricolage written by colleagues from the Centre for Development Impact. See our recommended reading list below for details and other useful resources.
Aston, T. (2020). Bricolage and alchemy for evaluation gold. Available at: https://thomasmtaston.medium.com/bricolage-and-alchemy-for-evaluation-gold-2153864818ed (Accessed 10 January 2021)
Aston, T. and Apgar, M. (2022) The Art and Craft of Bricolage in Evaluation, CDI Practice Paper 24, Brighton: Institute of Development Studies, DOI: 10.19088/IDS.2022.068
Barnett, C. (2024) CDI at 10: An enduring curiosity in embracing real-world impact. Available at: https://www.itad.com/article/center-development-impact-evaluating-real-world-impact/ (Accessed 3 December 2024)
Institute of Development Studies. (no date) Centre for Development Impact. Available at: https://www.ids.ac.uk/programme-and-centre/centre-for-development-impact/ (Accessed 3 December 2024)
Voltolina, G. (2023) Embracing complexity through methodological bricolage. Available at : https://www.itad.com/article/embracing-complexity-through-methodological-bricolage/ (Accessed 3 December 2024)
Better Evaluation (2024). Bricolage Evaluation Design. Available at: https://www.betterevaluation.org/methods-approaches/methods/bricolage-evaluation-design (Accessed 3 December 2024)
