Is our program successful? Is it achieving its stated goals? In what ways could our program be improved?
These are some of the fundamental questions related to program evaluation. At the same time, there is no single method to determine how well a program works and, indeed, it may make sense to employ several methods at the same time. Methods may also change over the duration of a project, and to meet the needs of different stakeholders.
As the American Evaluation Association (AEA) explains: “Over the years, the evaluation field has developed an extensive array of methods that can be applied and adapted to various types of programs, depending upon the circumstances and stages of the program’s implementation. Fundamentally, all evaluation methods should be context-sensitive, culturally relevant, and methodologically sound.”
Resources:
Competency Development (Northwestern University Program Evaluation Core)
Logic Models and Templates (Northwestern University Program Evaluation Core)
Surveys, Focus Group Questions and Rubrics (Northwestern University Program Evaluation Core)