Evaluation: Why and What

Evaluation is the process of collecting and interpreting data to determine the accomplishments, strengths, and weaknesses of your program. It should be conducted at two levels:

  1. To determine the effectiveness of the program as a whole, and
  2. To determine the effectiveness of various component parts of the program.

Some of the reasons for evaluation are the following:

  1. To justify refunding
  2. To gain additional support from the community
  3. To demonstrate the effectiveness of various parts of your program
  4. To provide a basis for future funding

One of the best ways to evaluate your program is by examining your objectives, on a regular and timely basis.

  • If an objective isn't being achieved, why not? And what should we do about it?
  • Is the objective wrong, or are your activities inappropriate or incomplete?
  • And if, on the other hand, the objective is being achieved, what is to be learned from the success,
    and what's the next step on the road to the goal?

By the end of the first year, you will be able to measure your program's accomplishments in many areas. Even before that, interim evaluations can be corrective.

  • If an activity is patently nonproductive, is there a chance it will improve with time, or would it be wiser to scrap the whole idea on the spot and get on to something more useful? The criteria you will use to determine the success of a program or an objective will vary.
  • Most commonly reported by programs are quantitative data:
    1. The number of people in the program;
    2. The number of hours they served;
    3. The number of requests for materials.
  • Less frequently, programs report effective data: changes in the attitude, knowledge, policy, etc.

Evaluating Your Program Main Page

Community Health Promotion Main Page



See also > Center for Health Promotion > Health Promotion and Chronic Disease