Relevance

Relevance is one of five evaluation criteria used by the Organisation of Economic Development Cooperation (OECD). The other four are coherence, efficiency, sustainability, impact, and effectiveness. The OECD Development Assistance Committee Network on Development Evaluation defines relevance as “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.” In simpler terms, the main question under relevance is whether the “intervention is doing the right things?”.

Definition adapted from OECD/DAC Network on Development Evaluation (2019):“Better Criteria for Better Evaluations. Revised Evaluation Criteria. Definitions and Principles for Use”.