Evaluation Planning
Oftentimes planning gets overlooked, as people focus on the nitty gritty of data collection or analysis. Without giving enough to properly plan, resources may be over utilized or underutilized, the wrong outcomes might be assessed, unfeasible targets set, etc. It is critical to the success of your program or project that you spend enough time on this phase.
Evaluation Goals
What is it? Setting your goals for evaluation are always your starting point. Understanding the purpose for why you are evaluating helps to organize your planning, data, and analysis. When evaluation goals are not clearly stated, clients may have a hard time making sense of their evaluation data or realize they do not actually have the kind of data that was needed for accountability purposes. Our consultants can help you effectively plan your evaluation to ensure you get the data you need to make the decisions and resource allocations effectively. To get started, check out our whitepaper entitled, How do you get started with your program evaluation?
How can we help you?
- Identify the goal and purpose of the evaluation
- Identify the differing but necessary needs of your varying audience
- Identify the information you will need
- Identify the sources of data you will need
- Determine the evaluation design
- Determine a feasible timeline
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A logic model is a one-page, compelling graphic (your road map) that tells the reader/reviewer exactly what, when, where, why, and how.
Learn MoreArticles and White Papers About Evaluation Goals
Whose Job is it to Evaluate?
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What Are You Actually Measuring? Selecting the Right Indicator to Measure Progress
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Read MoreFAQ About Evaluation Goals
The process is similar to how research analysis would be conducted, in that an evaluation and coordinating analysis plan would be developed early on in project planning, both tied to key analysis questions that drive the methods used.
The major advantages of longitudinal analysis are that you can assess change or show clear patterns, as there are multiple time points of data collection. The major disadvantages are that this type of study takes longer to do, is more expensive, and is more limited in terms of breadth of experience.
Document review can provide important background information for an evaluation, and it can bring to light considerations or issues around a project that may not be possible through other means of data collection. Document review is also typically unobtrusive since it does not require collecting data from participants, and it can be relatively inexpensive.
Data from document review can be inaccurate, incomplete, biased, disorganized, or irrelevant, therefore, it can also be time consuming to compile, organize, and analyze a large volume of documents.
No, not all surveys need to be written in Likert format. The advantage, however, is being able to quantify change. If you are assessing outcome change, Likert scale options are a great way to be able to show a demonstrated change, if any, between two time periods.
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Peggy Ostrander, DNPc, APRN, FNP-C Plano, Texas