Evaluation and Refinement of the Measurement and Evaluation Tool for Engagement and e-Participation Self-Assessment Survey

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) is currently in the process of developing a self-assessment questionnaire for government officials entitled the Measurement and Evaluation Tool for Engagement and e-Participation (METEP). The METEP allows officials to assess their preparedness to engage their citizens, particularly through the use of information and communications technology, to identify areas in need of institutional strengthening and ensure active citizen engagement in development planning. The Capstone team was charged with informing the development and refinement of this measurement tool. The team piloted the METEP on a sample of government officials in Malaysia and Indonesia, and administered the survey remotely to officials in India. Using feedback from the pilot surveys, as well as key benchmarks found in academic literature on survey design, the Capstone team provided recommendations to make the METEP a more effective tool in measuring government readiness to engage citizens in development.