What is program evaluation?: A Brief Introduction

Summary

Program evaluation is a systematic process used to assess the effectiveness of programs through social research methods. It involves making value judgments about a program’s impact, which distinguishes it from general research. The five key areas of program evaluation include needs assessments, program design, implementation evaluation, outcome evaluation, and efficiency evaluation. Key types of evaluations are process evaluations (examining program rollouts) and outcome evaluations (measuring success in achieving intended outcomes). Impact evaluations look deeper into long-term outcomes and attribute results to the program while considering external factors like policy changes and other community programs.

Takeaways

• 😀 Program evaluation uses social research procedures to assess the effectiveness of programs.
• 😀 The main difference between program evaluation and general research is the inclusion of value judgments in program evaluation.
• 😀 Rossi identified five key domains of program evaluation: needs assessments, program design, implementation, outcome evaluation, and efficiency evaluation.
• 😀 Needs assessments determine whether there is a need for a program or service.
• 😀 Program design evaluations focus on evaluating whether the program or service was well-planned and structured.
• 😀 Implementation evaluations (process evaluations) examine how well a program is being rolled out and whether it's likely to achieve the intended outcomes.
• 😀 Outcome evaluations assess whether a program meets its intended outcomes, such as increasing social skills in a 15-session program.
• 😀 Impact evaluations are more in-depth than outcome evaluations, looking at long-term outcomes and attributing them to the program.
• 😀 Impact evaluations also consider external factors like policy changes or other community programs that might influence program results.
• 😀 The key goal of impact evaluation is to determine how much of the program's success or failure can be attributed to the program itself versus other factors in the environment.

Q & A

What is program evaluation?

Program evaluation is the use of social research procedures to systematically investigate the effectiveness of programs in various fields. It involves making value judgments about a program's effectiveness, unlike research where findings are presented without value judgments.

How is program evaluation different from research?

In program evaluation, we make value judgments about the effectiveness of a program, whereas research typically presents findings without attaching value judgments. Research focuses on statistical significance, while program evaluation focuses on assessing whether a program meets its intended goals.

What are the five program domains identified by Rossi?

Rossi identified five key areas of program evaluation: 1) Needs assessments (whether there is a need for a program or service), 2) Program design evaluation, 3) Implementation evaluation, 4) Outcome evaluation, and 5) Efficiency evaluation.

What is process evaluation, and what does it examine?

Process evaluation, also known as formative or implementation evaluation, looks at how a program is being rolled out. It examines questions such as whether the program is being implemented as planned, if the curriculum is followed, whether the delivery is on schedule, and if the people delivering the program are adequately trained.

What is outcome evaluation and how is it different from process evaluation?

Outcome evaluation examines whether a program has achieved its intended outcomes, such as whether it has successfully met its goals (e.g., increasing social skills). Unlike process evaluation, which focuses on the implementation of the program, outcome evaluation assesses the results after the program is completed.

What is an impact evaluation, and how does it differ from outcome evaluation?

An impact evaluation looks at the long-term, deeper outcomes of a program and tries to determine the degree to which those outcomes can be attributed to the program itself. It goes beyond just measuring outcomes and considers external factors like other community programs or policies that might influence the results. In contrast, outcome evaluation simply measures whether the program met its specific goals.

Why is it important to differentiate between impact and outcome evaluations?

Differentiating between impact and outcome evaluations is crucial because impact evaluations provide a more comprehensive understanding of the program's effects, including the influence of external factors. Outcome evaluations are useful for assessing if specific goals were met, but they don’t capture the broader, long-term effects or account for other influencing factors.

How does external influence affect the results of a program evaluation?

External influences, such as changes in policies or other community programs, can affect a program’s outcomes. For example, if a poverty reduction program is running while new policies are introduced that also help reduce poverty, an impact evaluation would need to assess how much of the change can be attributed to the program and how much to other factors.

What types of questions are asked during a process evaluation?

In a process evaluation, questions focus on how well a program is being implemented. These include inquiries about whether the program is following its intended design, whether the curriculum is being delivered properly, if the sessions are occurring in the right sequence, and if there are any factors that hinder or support the program’s rollout.

What role does the evaluation of efficiency play in program evaluation?

Evaluating the efficiency of a program examines how well the resources are being used to achieve the intended outcomes. This includes assessing whether the program is cost-effective, if the resources are being optimally allocated, and whether the program is achieving its goals in the most efficient manner.