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Checklist for Program Evaluation Planning
© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD
The following checklist might prove useful when planning evaluations for programs. The reader would benefit from first reading Basic Guide to Program Evaluation.
Name of Organization
Name of Program
Purpose of Evaluation?
What do you want to be able to decide as a result of the evaluation?
For example:
__ Understand, verify or increase impact of products or services
on customers/clients (eg, outcomes evaluation)
__ Improve delivery mechanisms to be more efficient and less costly
(eg, process evaluation)
__ Verify that we're doing what we think we're doing (eg, process
evaluation)
__ Clarify program goals, processes and outcomes for management
planning
__ Public relations
__ Program comparisons, eg., to decide which should be retained
__ Fully examine and describe effective programs for duplication
elsewhere
__ Other reason(s)
Audience(s) for the Evaluation?
Who are the audiences for the information from the evaluation,
for example:
__ Clients/customers
__ Funders/Investors
__ Board members
__ Management
__ Staff/employees
__ Other(s) _________________________________________________
What Kinds of Information Are Needed?
What kinds of information are needed to make the decision
you need to make and/or enlighten your intended audiences, for
example, information to understand:
__ The process of the product or service delivery (its inputs,
activities and outputs)
__ The customers/clients who experience the product or service
__ Strengths and weaknesses of the product or service
__ Benefits to customers/clients (outcomes)
__ How the product or service failed and why, etc.
__ Other type(s) of information?
Type of Evaluation?
Based on the purpose of the evaluation and the kinds of information
needed, what types of evaluation is being planned?
__ Goal-based?
__ Process-based?
__ Outcomes-based?
__ Other(s)? ___________________________________________________
Where Should Information Be Collected From?
__ Staff/employees
__ Clients/customers
__ Program documentation
__ Funders/Investors
__ Other(s) ________________________________________________
How Can Information Be Collected in Reasonable and Realistic
Fashion?
__ questionnaires
__ interviews
__ documentation
__ observing clients/customers
__ observing staff/employees
__ conducting focus groups among_____________________________________
__ other(s)
When is the Information Needed?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
What Resources Are Available to Collect the Information?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
For the Category of Evaluations (Many Kinds):
To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.
Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.
