One of the first questions I ask clients, whether we’re working on a program design or evaluation, is What are the learning outcomes?
Surveys are popular for gaining feedback on a program or service. With a survey, you can typically gather and analyze data quickly, relative to focus groups and interviews. Plus, developing and administering a survey can often be more cost-efficient for the budget-conscious evaluator.
We live in a world in which nonprofit funding often feels limited. And when we operate with a scarcity mindset, we can sometimes make decisions that can negatively impact our organizations now and in the future. Here’s how I have seen this play out.
Wait, what was the original question? Pen and highlighters in hand, I looked again at the responses on the spreadsheet. Half of them had nothing to do with the question we had asked on the survey.
Assessment and evaluation are two words I hear frequently in my line of work. Sometimes they’re used interchangeably. Yet assessment and evaluation are related yet distinct processes.
When designing a program evaluation strategy, one of the earliest steps in the process is to develop evaluation questions. But what are evaluation questions, and how can they help us?
Our motivation to engage in program evaluation can wane because it can feel so laborious, even overwhelming. What if thinking about evaluation through a different lens could give us a greater sense of purpose?
It’s tempting to leave program evaluation to the end of the year, right before you have to deliver your annual report. But we recommend designing your evaluation strategy early in the life of your program. Here’s why…
One way to reduce your load going into annual report season is to develop and implement a program evaluation strategy that will ensure that you have the information you need to complete your report in a timely manner.
