Development Impact Evaluation (DIME) is a global program housed in the World Bank's Development Research Group (DECRG). Its purpose is to increase the use of impact evaluation (IE) in the design and implementation of public policy and increase institutional capacity and motivation for evidence-based policy. Working on more than 170 impact evaluations across numerous sectors in approximately 50 countries spanning the globe, by linking researchers to policymakers and feeding results back into policies, DIME fosters systematic use of evidence which informs adoption, mid-course corrections, and scale-up of policies. Ms. Arianna Legovini, Head of Development Evaluation (DIME), presented a variety of activities by DIME unit, specifically impact evaluations and capacity building of the governments.

Presentation:

• The Development Impact of Impact Evaluation (PDF) 

Speaker:

Arianna Legovini Head, Development Impact Evaluation (DIME), Development Research Group, World Bank

Arianna Legovini has dedicated the last decade to developing a new institutional approach to closing the gap between operations and research, building knowledge on mechanisms that explain policy success and using experiments to improve the effectiveness of government policies. In this role Arianna leads the development and implementation of a large research agenda across critical development areas, stimulating strong demand from clients and leveraging significant support from donor countries. Several multi-country programs of impact evaluation with global outreach are currently active in thematic areas ranging from productive sectors, to human development and gender, governance, fragility and conflict and to sectors relevant to the climate agenda. These programs account for several hundred distinct analytical products.

Previously, Arianna established the Africa Impact Evaluation Initiative for the Africa region of the World Bank. She also developed the Africa Results Monitoring System, the first World Bank system to monitor Bank results. Before joining the World Bank, Arianna was acting chief of the Poverty Unit at the Inter-American Development Bank, and coordinator of the Network of Inequality and Poverty of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association (LACEA). She conducted her PhD studies in economics at the University of Maryland and has several academic publications including journal articles and chapters in edited volumes. Website

Commentator:

Makiko Nakamuro
Associate Professor, Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University