Management assessment : Center for Development Information and Evaluation, Bureau for Program and Policy Coordination

Evaluation covers the period 1983-88 and is based on document review and interviews with CDIE staff and officials of USAID Missions, A.I.D. offices, and other donors and international organizations. CDIE's goals and objectives, as mandated in the 1982 General Accounting Office report that was the genesis of CDIE, have remained valid. CDIE management and staff have done an outstanding job, both in terms of establishing CDIE as a bona fide center for development information and in developing useful information services. It has established a credible A.I.D. memory, increased dramatically the demand for its information services, provided guidance and stewardship in evaluation, and has given A.I.D. a position of leadership in the donor community in the information and evaluation fields. There remains room for improvement, however, especially in terms of linking CDIE more effectively with A.I.D. policy priorities and promoting within the Agency a wider knowledge of CDIE services. While USAID Missions and A.I.D./W offices alike express satisfaction with CDIE services, a clear perception persists that the results of CDIE evaluations and lessons learned are not regularly or evenly used in Mission project and program development exercises. There is a need for more targeting of evaluation studies to users. CDIE is well located within PPC, but suffers from physical isolation from other PPC offices. Communication with other PPC offices needs to be improved. Another recommendation is for CDIE to reorganize resource allocations in order to increase utilization of its evaluation results and information services. If the demand for CDIE services continues to grow, and budget and staff allocations remain at current levels, the quality of CDIE's product will undoubtedly suffer. (Author abstract, modified)