Explanatory Accounts

Realist evaluation calls for an explanatory focus in understanding any particular piece of work or issue. This means unpacking what works for who in what circumstances rather than ONLY whether something ‘works’, or not.

An explanatory emphasis also means focusing more on the difference that has been made and how and why that difference has been made, rather than ONLY the initial project outcomes decided in advance (although the pattern of outcomes is still important). This means attending to how the context has influenced a project or issue and including this in your account or analysis.

In practice, this means developing a summary of statements/explanations that aim to lay out the core characteristics and dynamics of an issue, how they are influenced by relevant contexts, and lead to patterns of outcomes in a way that can be tested and refined in future.

By refining and linking up explanations we can start to build an overall picture of the circumstances and dynamics of change in the area we are working to support. This provides a framework for evaluating and demonstrating how the work contributes to positive change.

The video below provides an introduction to explanatory accounts and further information can be found in the attached documents.

Further help and guidance

NELP have developed a Podcast mini series, produced in partnership with Yorkshire Sport Foundation, which features discussions between Place Partners sharing their experiences and best practice surrounding Process Learning.

Links to each of the bitesize episodes can be found below,