Evaluation Types &

Perspectives
SW 740
September 11, 2015

1. Engage
Stakeholders

WHO

ARE

YOUR

STAKEHOLDERS

Stakeholders
Those organizations and
individuals who care about
either the program or the
evaluation findings
In general, anyone who has
something to gain or lose from
the program
5

WHAT ARE

THEIR

QUESTIONS
Concerns

Commitments
Interests

How are SWs uniquely

qualified to engage
stakeholders?

Active
Listening

so it sounds like you

need.

2. Describe the
program

What do they believe

about their program?

Have they assessed

outcomes?

What is the program?

What are the activities?

What are the objectives?

Mission and goals

2.
Des
crib
e
the
Pro
gra
m/I

2. Describe the
Program/Intervention
Sources of information for this step:
Stakeholders
Brochures

Did we
forget
anyone?

Previous evaluations, annual reports

Original funding sources (policies, acts,
RFPs)
Personnel

2. Describe the
Program/Intervention
More to come
Unit 2, Situational Analysis
Unit 3, Logic Model

3. Focus the evaluation

design

3. Focus the evaluation

design
Understand the possible
perspectives that drive the
evaluation
Understand possible types of
evaluation that may be
needed
Understand the interventions

Evaluation
perspectives

Stepney & Rostila

article
What evaluation perspectives did they discuss?
How are these perspectives used?
Which perspectives are you most familiar with?
Why are these perspectives important to know?

Accountability

Government accountability office

Exciting GAO Report
Child and Family Services Reviews
Federal DCFS Reviews

Grant Applications
& Reports to Funders
Family Resource Center funding

County Agency yearly reports to county

commissioners

Developmental
Evaluation in Practice
Descriptive process
Trends
Responding to changing needs

Knowledge
Emerging questions

Readiness
Prochaska & DiClemente: Stages of
change

2.1.10.b Assessment
C27 Assess client
system readiness for
change

Additional perspectives

Continuous Monitoring
vs. Project Approach
What perspective is this
from?

Continuous Monitoring

Project Approach

Data
integrated into
program

Data collection is done

once or periodically

Provides immediate
and ongoing feedback

Lacks buy-in from staf

What is the role of the

evaluator
collection
is here?

Buy-in from staf

Recommended
changes are feasible

Provides a report
Recommendations
may not be feasible or
relevant

Why should I care about

these perspectives?

IMPLICATIONS
Evaluation team
Stakeholder engagement
Evaluation Design
Timing
Reporting
Information dissemination
Anything else?

You are the

evaluator
A colleague has told the community
center director that he needs to prove
his worth.
You are brought in to help do so.
What do you do?

Groups
What questions do you need
to ask the director?
Who are the stakeholders?
What additional steps can you
take?