13.10.5: Evaluation
An important component of any successful program is evaluating it for both its quality and efficacy. Evaluation occurs throughout all the phases of the program - in fact, the needs assessment is one form of evaluation. If the program includes a pilot test and phasing in, the assessments done at each of those steps can also be used to make changes to the program to make it better. This type of evaluation that seeks to test the quality of the program and make changes while it is ongoing is called formative evaluation (McKenzie et al., 2017, Seabert et al., 2021).
The second type of evaluation is the summative evaluation which typically takes place at the end of the program (or at a designated time if the program is ongoing). The objectives of the program must be assessed to determine whether or not it was effective. Evaluation of the impact objectives is called impact evaluation , and evaluation of the outcome objectives is termed outcome evaluation . These evaluations are often provided in a report which is shared to key stakeholders and decision makers in order to either justify continued funding of the program, suggest improvements to the program, or provide a rationale for the program to end. Of course, if the evaluation is done by the program planner, there is always the potential for bias and the temptation to portray the outcomes in the most positive light! Therefore it may be helpful to have an independent evaluation and/or make every effort to remain as objective as possible (McKenzie et al., 2017, Seabert et al., 2021). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has created a framework to help guide program evaluation to ensure that it is ethical, accurate, and useful (CDC, 2023).