Square Circle’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) service enables the application of knowledge to inform real-time decision making for adaptive program design and implementation—helping to improve development impact while supporting accountability.

Our team of researchers, academics and development practitioners bring in-depth experience working in complex environments and in the innovative use of mixed methods and participatory approaches that shed light on how, why, and under what circumstances change takes place. Our approach to MEL also provides a clear understanding of program value-for-money and cost-benefit analyses to support iterative adaptation.

Square Circle also has a deep understanding of the challenges posed by the politics of knowledge and representation. In complex environments in particular, understanding power imbalances and listening to marginalised and vulnerable voices helps to ensure a more holistic assessment of impact.

In our monitoring, evaluation and learning, the use of digital storytelling helps to highlight stakeholder interpretations, understandings and experiences of project activities and impacts. Digital stories also help to spread the benefits of personal and institutional narratives to a wider audience, creating shared insight across geographies, cultures and ideologies.