About the Special Evaluation Office

The six evaluation criteria for development cooperation, established by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC).

• relevance
• coherence
• effectiveness
• efficiency
• impact
• sustainability

Relevance: is the intervention doing the right things?
The extent to which the intervention objectives and design respond to beneficiaries, global, country, and partner/institution needs, policies and priorities, and continue to do so if circumstances change.

Coherence: how well does the intervention fit?
The compatibility of the intervention with other interventions in a country, sector or institution.

Effectiveness: is the intervention achieving its objectives?
The extent to which the intervention achieved or is expected to achieve its objectives and its results, including any differential results across groups.

Efficiency: how well are resources being used?
The extent to which the intervention delivers or is likely to deliver results in an economic and timely way.

Impact: what difference does the intervention make?
The extent to which the intervention has generated or is expected to generate significant positive or negative, intended or unintended, higher-level effects.

Sustainability: will the benefits last?
The extent to which the net benefits of the intervention continue or are likely to continue.