"Building on the experience of many different agencies, this book provides a comprehensive discussion of the difficulties, dilemmas and opportunities of understanding the outcomes of social development programmes and projects. The book shows that while there are no easy solutions to evaluating impact, a range of methods and approaches can be employed in order to provide an adequate understanding of social change. Case studies are presented of how NGO's have succeeded in evaluating these complex social processes within the constraints imposed by resources, staff skills, existing monitoring and requirements and external pressures. The book illustrates genuine, innovative attempts to bring the rhetoric of evaluating impact into the reality of ongoing development programmes." (Catalogue Intermediate Technology Publications 2000)