Program Evaluation

Evaluations can provide useful information for program managers on whether a program is doing the right things in the right ways, and whether there are ways to improve program delivery. Evaluations can also provide information to inform broader decisions on the best way to achieve desired outcomes and address identified needs.

When considering evaluation requirements, it is expected that any evaluation of public sector programs will:

specify criteria for determining the success of the program;
focus on the key issues that will inform decision making;
use a systematic and evidence-based approach to assess performance;
be reliable, useful and relevant to decision makers and stakeholders; and
be timely.

To enable these criteria to be met, evaluations should be built into the program design and have the following features:

clear, considered Evaluation Plan;
clearly defined roles and responsibilities;
strong stakeholder engagement;
evaluation milestones timed to be able to inform decision making;
strategies in place to compensate for any potential deficiencies in evaluation design, data collection and analytical methods;
checks and balances in place to ensure validity of evaluation findings; and
clear, transparent reporting that outlines methods, assumptions and key findings.

Engaging key stakeholders early on in the evaluation process can help to inform an appropriate evaluation design and improve the usefulness and acceptability of evaluation findings. Stakeholders are also much more likely to engage with and support the evaluation if they are involved in the evaluation process from the beginning.