Preparing the Groundwork
for
Evaluation
1.1
Start to plan early
It is ideal to develop evaluation
plans while designing a new program and working through
objectives, activities
and related factors. Plan the evaluation as part of program
development However, managers may also need
to develop or modify an evaluation process for an
existing program.
New programs
- include evaluation as an
integral part of the program during program
planning
- discuss the role of evaluation in initial
community discussions, needs assessment and
planning
meetings
- consider what evaluation implies – i.e.,
- how to monitor and evaluate what happens in the
program,
- determine if the program
is worthwhile for the time, effort, energy
and money involved;
- learn about the program’s
strengths and weaknesses
- thinking about what and how to evaluate
will help
- clarify objectives and program
activities and
- prevent misunderstanding among partners
and stakeholders
- use planning tools, e.g.,
- program logic model
- theory of change model (See
Step 2 for more details.)
- include evaluation costs
in program budgets, grant proposals and
other funding requests.
Existing programs
- develop evaluation plans for the
next session along with budgets,
funding proposals or new operation plans
- factor in sufficient time and
resources before next session
- include partners
and stakeholders in the evaluation planning
where feasible
- developing or modifying evaluation plans during
a program
session is difficult but possible:
- new/revised evaluation methods can be tested
- preliminary
results can inform ongoing practice
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