What are the right evaluation methods and what evaluation strategy adapted to contemporary development issues should such methods serve? This article argues that a range of methods and tools must be drawn upon to achieve high‐quality evaluation standards and that even the best methods cannot compensate for a misguided strategy. For both sets of reasons, it is time for the current craze for experimental evaluation methods in international development to give way. In its place a mix of evaluation methods informed by a relevant evaluation research agenda should be adopted and put at the service of evaluation policy directions that reflect contemporary development prospects and dilemmas.