DeGEval – Evaluation Society establishes and pursues its objectives and tasks on the basis of activities from its working groups. These are the central interface between comprehensive and specific questions on evaluation and contribute significantly to transfer and information exchange between different fields of evaluation.
The present guidelines agreed upon between the working groups and the Executive Board of DeGEval – Evaluation Society are aimed at contributing to maintaining and developing existing and future working groups.
1. Objectives
- Working groups share the objectives of DeGEval – Evaluation Society in their work as embedded in the statutes.
- Working groups pay special attention to establishing DeGEval – Evaluation Society as the relevant actor in the activity fields of the working groups to help with sustainably strengthening the principles of DeGEval – Evaluation Society in the different fields of evaluation.
2. Fields of activity
- Working groups disseminate the products of DeGEval – Evaluation Society and try to interest relevant actors from their field of evaluation in DeGEval – Evaluation Society and acquirethem as members.
- Working groups organise one or two workshops during the annual conference of DeGEval – Evaluation Society, if possible referring to comprehensive topics or the specific perspective of the respective annual conference. The organization of workshops in co-operation with other working groups is welcome.
- If possible working groups organise their own spring meetings (if possible in co-operation with other working groups) where they discuss field specific topics or organisational questions. The spring meetings may also serve as preparatory meeting for the annual conference workshops of DeGEval – Evaluation Society.
- During the annual conference the working groups offer sessions that mainly serve internal organizational matters and as a welcome for interested. In addition all working groups present a poster showing objectives, topics, activities, participation possibilities and contact persons. These meetings and the posters are obligatory and an established part of the annual conference programmes.
- Working groups regularly report to the Executive Board of DeGEval – Evaluation Society about their work (meetings of working groups, results, dates, etc.). An annual report is prepared for the report of the Board at the general assembly by each working group. To guarantee the continuous flow of information with the Administrative Office working groups include the Administrative Office in the mailing list used to send out invitations, minutes, etc. to all persons active in the group
- Working groups administer their pages on the website of DeGEval – Evaluation Society independently. They aim to keep their information up to date and thus contribute to a successful presentation of DeGEval – Evaluation Society. The Administrative Office is available for support.
- Working groups shall inform the members of DeGEval – Evaluation Society about their activities with regular short news in the DeGEval…Mails and more comprehensive contributions in the DeGEval…News (at least once a year).
- Publication of texts of the working groups shall be published as 'AK [description] in the DeGEval – Evaluation Society'. Responsibility for these texts lies with the authors that shall be mentioned by name. The board has to be informed prior to the intended publication. After publication a free copy has to be sent to the Board.
3. Organisation
- Contribution to working groups is not limited to DeGEval – Evaluation Society membership. Working groups shall, however, encourage their participants to become members of DeGEval – Evaluation Society.
- Working groups largely determine their work and organisation independently. Possible subdivision, e.g. into sub-groups, lies within the sole responsibility of the working group.
- Working groups choosea speaker as well as a deputy for a period of two years. Re-election is possible. The members of the working groups as well as the Administrative Office of DeGEval – Evaluation Society shall be duly informed about upcoming elections.
- The speaker is responsible for the organisation of respective activities (workshops and meetings during annual conferences, spring meetings, contributions for DeGEval…Mails and DeGEval…News, etc) and is the contact person for the Board of DeGEval – Evaluation Society.
4. Support of the working groups by Board and Administrative Office
- The Board of DeGEval – Evaluation Society supports the interests of the working groups and seeks regular exchange with them. To guarantee direct communication one Board contact person is allocated for each working group. The aim is to support the working groups to win key personalities for the activities of the working group.
- The Board invites the speakers to an annual joint session where key questions are discussed and information about recent developments and planning is exchanged. Working group speakers are expected to participate or to send a nominated member if unable to attend in person.
- Board and Administrative Office of DeGEval – Evaluation Society are willing to support the work groups in their PR activities and with the information flow about the work of the working group to the members. For this purpose the speakers contact the Administrative Office or their contact person with detailed ideas about the kind of support they require.
- On demand working groups receive information and products of DeGEval – Evaluation Society that can be used for the recruitment of new members.
- Each working group has access to a certain amount of funding which it may use subject to presentation of supporting documents, that shall be decided by the Board, e.g. for mailing costs, travel costs for an external speaker, etc.
- Working groups have a special budget for the organisation of the workshops during the annual conferences, depending on the financial situation of DeGEval – Evaluation Society. The budget isduly determined by the Board and communicated to the working groups in good time.
5. Establishment of working groups
- The establishment of new and the continuation of existing working groups shall contribute to the presence of DeGEval – Evaluation Society in relevant fields of evaluation and initiate new developments in evaluation. With regard to the organization of other evaluation societies, DeGEval – Evaluation Society aims at establishing working groups that work with cross-sectional topics of evaluation (training and education, theories and methods of evaluation) besides strengthening established specific working groups.
- The establishment of new working groups lies within the responsibility of the annual general meeting. To establish a new working group the Board shall receive a thematic proposal which describes both the need for the new working group as well as potentially interested parties. The proposal will be discussed together with the Board; in case of a positive agreement one Board member will be nominated as contact person to support and accompany the further process.
- An expression of interest will be sent out via DeGEval…Mail to spread the intention of the establishment of a new working group and the identification of interested parties.
- In a pre-session of all parties interested in the establishment of a working group and the contact person in the Board possible objectives shall be discussed and defined (mission statement). During this session a list of persons interested in the establishment of and engagement in the working group shall be set up.
- On the basis of this list and the mission statement the Board decides about the further process, i.e. whether a working group or an ad-hoc group is more appropriate. On condition that the number of parties interested is sufficient and that the profile of the working group corresponds to the development objectives of DeGEval – Evaluation Society, the next annual general meeting (hereafter: AGM) can vote on the provisional establishment of a working group for one year and hold the first inaugural meeting of the working group. During this year the working group operates under the title “working group in foundation”.
- After three quarters of a year the Board will receive a report about the activities of the working group in foundation of the last year that refers in particular to the development, size and make-up of the working group and its expected potential. The AGM decides on request over the establishment of the working group.
- The development of evaluation shows a high level of differentiation of new evaluation fields and questions. DeGEval – Evaluation Society takes account of this process by regularly reflecting about its own internal structure. This includes discussion about the experiences of the working group s and their developments with regard to the social framework in this field of evaluation. To meet internal standards of evaluation DeGEval – Evaluation Society aims in the long term at involving working groups in a “review process” every five years based on the summary report. This process will be initiated and co-ordinated by the Board of DeGEval – Evaluation Society. The results of this evaluation shall demonstrate strengths, challenges, but also possible deficits in the work of its working groups. During the resulting reflection process future aims and developmental possibilities will be defined together with the Board. This reflection process can also decide on the dissolution of a working group or on constitution in a different form.
