How can realist evaluation help make sense of government policy, complexity, and decision-making? And what happens when realist ideas move beyond academic journals and into fast-moving, politically shaped, resource-stretched environments where people need answers quickly?In this insightful and practical conversation, Alejandro is joined by Finlay Green, an evaluation and policy practitioner with experience across consultancy, government evaluation and policy advice. Finlay reflects on his journey into realist evaluation, from discovering Realistic Evaluation during recovery from an ACL injury to applying realist thinking in government settings.The conversation explores where realist evaluation fits within government, where it can clash with existing evidence expectations, and how realist ideas can be adapted without losing their integrity. Finlay discusses the importance ofdropping unnecessary jargon, making evaluation tangible and accessible, using quantitative and administrative data and focusing on explanations that are useful to policymakers.Finlay also reflects on the value of realist approaches for wicked problems, regulation, policy design, and ex ante evaluation. He highlights the need for realist evaluators to engage more directly with policy questions, collaborate across disciplines and understand the pressures and constraints faced by government teams.Whether you’re an evaluator, researcher, policymaker, student, or practitioner interested in applying realist approaches in policy contexts, this episode offers valuable insights into making realist evaluation feasible, credible, and genuinely useful where decisions happen and stakes are high.

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