Evaluation comes in many forms like review, assessment, impact analysis, social impact analysis, appreciative inquiry or cost-benefit assessment amongst others. 

 

At its core evaluation is a process that critically examines a program. It involves collecting and analyzing information about a program’s activities, characteristics, and outcomes. Its purpose is to make judgments about a program, to improve its effectiveness, and/or to inform programming decisions (Patton, 1987).

Next to different types of evaluation the process can be viewed alonginclusions and distinctions between discrete evaluations and ongoing monitoring, including:

• performance indicators and metrics

• integrated monitoring and evaluation systems

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Evaluations are performed by different groups, such as: 

• external evaluators

• internal staff

• communities

• a hybrid team

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It includes evaluations that are intended to be used for different purposes: 

• formatively, to make improvements

• summatively, to inform decisions about whether to start, continue, expand or stop an intervention.

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Where formative evaluation refers to the intended use of an evaluation (to make improvements) amd process evaluation refers to the focus of an evaluation (how it is being implemented).

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For further information please BetterEvaluation via the button below.

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