Population health challenges and evaluative thinking: Rapid responses in the time of COVID-19
| Published date | 01 September 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/1035719X231175884 |
| Author | Katina D’Onise,Katherine Pontifex |
| Date | 01 September 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Practice Articles |
Practice Article
Evaluation Journal of Australasia
2023, Vol. 23(3) 139–149
© The Author(s) 2023
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DOI: 10.1177/1035719X231175884
journals.sagepub.com/home/evj
Population health challenges
and evaluative thinking: Rapid
responses in the time of
COVID-19
Katina D’Oniseand Katherine Pontifex
Wellbeing SA, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Abstract
There are multiple complex challenges that the population health sector faces to
improve the health of the community, and the sector must work efficiently and
effectively to make the most of the committed funds, sometimes in contexts of
uncertainty. This article explores, through the case study of the South Australian
COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Project, the application of pillars from the Lean Start-
up model of setting a clear vision, and creation of a series of minimum viable products
to enable work with the community to commence as quickly as possible. This article
draws parallels between this corporate model and the notion of evaluative thinking as
well as adaptive evaluation approaches, demonstrates the interest from population
health program and policy actors in adaptive practices and proposes a continuing
opportunity for the evaluation profession in this space.
Keywords
developmental evaluation, population health, COVID-19, evaluation, Lean
Corresponding author:
Katina D’Onise, Wellbeing SA, PO Box 388 Rundle Mall, Adelaide 5000, SA, Australia.
Email: katina.d’onise@sa.gov.au
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