As always, our services and input are guided by extensive data gathering and information analysis. We use relevant, timely data to provide actionable findings and inform decision-making processes. This data is especially helpful when requesting additional funding or asking for grant renewals. When you present decision-makers with a cohesive strategy that shows how funding will be allocated and outlines the impact they can expect it to have, they will feel much more confident about giving your organization the resources it needs.
- There are many perspectives on program evaluation, to be certain, but the community of evaluation scholars and practitioners describe it as broad in scope, responsive to the purpose of inquiry, and focused on promoting the public good.
- All uses are linked to one or more specific users and align directly with the purpose of the evaluation.
- For example, certain participants might be willing to discuss their health behaviors with a stranger, whereas others might be more at ease with someone they know.
- When assessing the context, it is important to understand the different perspectives or values that the identified persons hold about the program and what might be examined through the evaluation.
- Program evaluation is a critical function that communities and organizations should undertake to improve and strengthen their activities and systems (1).
Design It So It Can Be Evaluated
Core states reported leveraging millions of dollars to support the goals and objectives of the Core VIPP. In addition to bringing in additional funding to the states, the Core program has also been instrumental in leveraging all types of resources including in-kind staff support, media advertising, and program supplies (eg, car seats, bike helmets). This type of funding is also vital in enabling states to quickly respond to emerging health threats. As opioid drug overdose quickly became a national issue, Core-funded states were well positioned to quickly respond.
Evaluation Standards
The program evaluation and review technique offers several advantages for planning and scheduling projects, especially those with uncertainty and complex dependencies. Below are eight key benefits that make PERT a valuable tool for effective project management and improved timeline accuracy. There are many perspectives on program evaluation, to be certain, but the community of evaluation scholars and practitioners describe it as broad in scope, responsive to the purpose of inquiry, and focused on promoting the public good. An essential purpose of AJPH is to help public health research and practice evolve by learning from within and outside the field. To that end, we hope to stimulate discussion on what program evaluation is, what it should be, and why it matters in public health and beyond.
Internally, evaluation findings were shared through quarterly program review and annual budget review sessions with center and agency leadership. While this was necessary for a structured review, we also needed a way for leadership and staff to quickly access state data and pull specific information as needed to answer ad hoc requests. To address this, topic-specific 1-pagers were developed and shared with targeted audiences as appropriate. In addition, evaluation data were shared with all internal stakeholders through the development of Tableau dashboards. These dashboards allowed users to interact with data to formulate their own conclusions and conduct exploratory analysis providing much greater insight than static reports. As discussed earlier, communicating aggregate quantitative evaluation results was challenging.
Determine the timing and resources needed
Often these inconsistencies can be overcome through further discussion among the interest holders or through further examination of existing evidence. Occasionally, these issues point to an underlying lack of clarity in the program logic suggesting that the program might need more design work before being ready for an evaluation (60,61); in this case, the issues need to be resolved before moving forward with the evaluation. Evaluators and interest holders need to consider that the context can change during an evaluation and be prepared to adjust accordingly (36).
New video highlights the critical role of evaluation at WHO
To make early improvements, evaluate the quality, and to ensure that the program is aligned with its intended goals. A real-world case study program evaluation illustrating this is the media outreach for assessment findings, which has been instrumental in communicating key results to a broader audience. This approach not only enhances visibility and understanding of assessment results but also encourages public discussion and participant involvement.
Alternatively, it can be likened to a student receiving their final grade on a report card, summarizing their performance over an entire academic period. For example, the EPA’s review of Cumulative Risk Assessment case studies to identify “lessons learned” that can inform future implementation has a strong formative quality—learning from past and ongoing work to enhance future efforts. While the EPA might not always explicitly use the term “formative evaluation” in every document, the underlying principles of reviewing processes and making adjustments for improvement are evident. Federal bodies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the GAO, and the Department of Health and Human Services consistently emphasize evaluation for accountability, improvement, and informed decision-making. For citizens, this means there’s a recognized system designed to scrutinize and enhance government programs. Where an existing evidence base exists, evaluation conclusions can be further strengthened by interpreting the analytic findings within the context of this evidence base.
Evaluability assessments are a type of pre-evaluation method used to determine which aspects of a program are ready for evaluation. Because the methods between the two are similar, the distinguishing features can seem ambiguous. The impact of Core VIPP funding in the 3 program goal areas was clear following completion of the evaluation (Table 3). We partner with our clients to prevent and resolve complex social issues through inclusive and diverse perspectives, innovative thinking, useful data, and unmatched client service. Together, we can get more done, promote program equity, expand your influence, reach the underserved, and start changing the world, one community at a time. Ready to learn more about how EVALCORP can help fuel evidenced-based change in your community?
- Our thorough, easy-to-digest reports clearly demonstrate why funding is necessary and how it can be used to make an impact in your community.
- Culturally responsive evaluation integrates the uniqueness of each context into the design and implementation of an evaluation, including the history, systems, and structures that can contribute to health inequities.
- Additional factors to consider when selecting an evaluation design extend beyond ensuring that the selected design aligns directly with the evaluation questions and purpose.
- Organizations turn to this service to determine whether their programs are effective, meeting their intended goals, and impacting the right community members.
Estimate the Project Timeline
The team page acts as a hub where you can see every member’s assignments and availability in one place, ensuring that the right resources are aligned with the right tasks throughout the project. With a WBS, you can pinpoint dependencies, assign time estimates and lay out tasks accurately on your PERT diagram. Starting with a WBS ensures your PERT diagram reflects the full scope of work effectively and minimizes the risk of missing key elements. As project management matured, PERT evolved to integrate with other tools and methodologies, enabling its use in diverse scenarios. Today, it remains relevant for projects where estimating timelines and managing uncertainty are critical to success.
Evaluators need to consider how their own experiences and background might influence their design preferences. Engaging in reflective practice throughout the evaluation process can help evaluators better understand the viewpoints of others when weighing different design options and ultimately arrive at a design that produces relevant, useful, and rigorous insights in an ethical manner. Families of logic models or nested logic models can be created to display a program at different levels of detail, from different perspectives, or for different audiences. A second logic model could focus on a specific program or component within the broader logic model, showing the specific activities for that program and aligning these activities with relevant programmatic outcomes.
The program evaluation and review technique influences the creation of a Gantt chart by helping project managers identify task durations, dependencies and the critical path. It emphasizes estimating optimistic, pessimistic and most likely timeframes for each activity, which allows for more accurate scheduling. This approach ensures the Gantt chart reflects a realistic timeline and highlights the sequence of tasks that directly impact project completion.