How EC³ Is Shaping System Thinkers in Evaluation | American Evaluation Association
August 4, 2025 | In their blog for the American Evaluation Association, PhD students Doreen Otieno and Janet Arogundade share how participating in the Evaluation Capacity Case Challenge (EC³) transformed their understanding of evaluation. EC³, led by Max Bell’s Leslie Fierro and Queen’s University’s Michelle Searle, offers graduate students a powerful opportunity to develop systems thinking through real-world evaluation challenges. They came to see evaluation capacity building (ECB) as a vital, standalone practice—one that embeds reflection, data use, and continuous learning into organizational culture.ÌýThey urge fellow graduate students to join EC³—not just for the competition, but to become sharper, more systems-oriented evaluators.
