Strategies for Program Improvement 'Nuts and Bolts' of Evaluation Planning

Primary Uses for Evaluation Data
•	To collect results for different strategies, approaches, methods
•	To identify what works and what doesn't to adapt programs locally
•	To provide feedback for quality improvement
•	To provide accountability for stakeholders
•	To reduce the incidence of program errors and loss of credibility
•	To manage more effectively
•	To test assumptions
•	To decide a program's future

Key Considerations
•	Why use a Logic Model for program planning and evaluation?
	1)	It is simple.
	2)	It is proven.
	3)	It gives us a common program planning and evaluation language.
	4)	It can provide key evaluation information to test our assumptions, to assist us in identifying the most successful strategies within a program, and it can allow faculty to improve, modify or discontinue programs.
	5)	It provides data for faculty to plan from an informed perspective.
•	Begin program planning through a needs assessment driven by an examination of the local environment and situation, and the assumptions.
	1)	What is the need / problem / opportunity?
	2)	What demographic data do you have or can you find related to the state and local indicators?
	3)	What is your current local situation?
	4)	What assumptions can be made?
•	Begin evaluation planning with the end in mind*what outcomes do you expect?
	1)	What is meaningful?
	2)	What is realistic?
	3)	Who needs to know?
•	Identify what changes you want to see as a result of your program.
	1)	Knowledge
	2)	Attitudes
	3)	Behavior
	4)	Economic conditions
	5)	Environmental conditions
	6)	Policies
	7)	Production practices
	8)	Yield or Input cost changes

Selection of Evaluation Methods
•	Identify what you CAN do based on what you NEED to know based on the cost involved, the time required, available resources, skills required of persons involved, potential reliability or bias of methods, confidentiality issues and ethical considerations. There are benefits and disadvantages for all methods. This quick reference guide will provide you with available methods, sources of information and tools to support your evaluation planning and management.

In building a Logic Model for program planning and evaluation you will need to concisely and simply identify the:
	•	Situation
	•	Environment
	•	Assumptions
	•	Program inputs
	•	Program outputs
	•	Desired outcomes

The Logic Model helps you answer the critical accountability question

		SO WHAT?

It provides a template to develop an evaluation that is SIMPLE, Logical and Meaningful. It helps the user stay focused on what can and should be measured.

It is usually helpful to use the one-page planning guide to construct your initial Logic Model. This allows you to see how one component of the plan is connected to the other.

The INPUTS or necessary program investments can include:
	•	Faculty / Staff time
	•	Funding for materials, travel, etc.
	•	Volunteer time
	•	Time committed from community partners
	•	Equipment costs
	•	Facility costs
	•	Curricula
	•	Evaluation resources

The OUTPUTS or program strategies, methods and target audiences can include:
	•	Who do you want to reach? Desired target audiences*how many?
		1)	Participants
		2)	Customers
		3)	Producers
		4)	Members
		5)	Volunteers
		6)	Agencies / Organizations
		7)	Age Groups
		8)	Ethnic Groups
	•	What do you want to do? How do you plan to reach your goal? What are your planned strategies and methods?
		1)	Workshops, Seminars, Classes
		2)	Research
		3)	Demonstrations
		4)	Media Efforts
		5)	Product Development
		6)	Distance Education
		7)	Counseling
		8)	Facilitation
		9)	Curriculum Development
		10)	Fund Raising/Grant Writing

The OUTCOMES or impacts of a program identify what short, medium and/or long-term results you are expecting from a program. These outcomes can include:

Conditions Longer-term	Action Medium	Learning Shorter-term
• Economic	• Behavior	• Awareness
• Environmental	• Practice	• Knowledge
• Social	• Decisions	• Attitudes
• Civic	• Skills	• Skills
• Community	• Policies	• Opinions
• Policy	• Social Action	• Inventions
• Health	• Policies	• Motivation

Conditions Longer-term	Action Medium	Learning Shorter-term
Quality of area groundwater is improved as demonstrated through ADH water monitoring results at participating homes.	Citizens close and seal 12 unused wells and participate in ADH water testing program.	Citizens increase knowledge of water contamination risks.
Participants reduce debt and increase savings.	Participants establish financial goals and use a spending plan.	Participants increase knowledge and skills in financial management.
Family child care needs met.	Residents and employers meet to discuss and identify options and implement a plan.	Community increases awareness of child care needs.
Residents save money and enjoy a greater sense of community.	Residents convert an empty inner-city lot to a community garden.	Youth and adults learn gardening skills, increase nutrition knowledge.

The Logic Model makes the complex simple if you simply invest a staff meeting or two to brainstorm and identify these key inputs, outputs and outcomes while developing a program or evaluation.

The content in this publication provides the critical "nuts and bolts" for your program planning and evaluation "tool kit."

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Cooperative Extension Service Departments Program and Staff Development Program Evaluation: Strategies for Program Improvement "Nuts and Bolts" of Evaluation Planning

Cooperative Extension Service Departments
Program and Staff Development
Program Evaluation: Strategies for Program Improvement
"Nuts and Bolts" of Evaluation Planning