Development programs have to prove that they have had a strong and positive impact. Different types of evaluations are invaluable in showing the benefits of a program to backers, sponsors, and program beneficiaries.
In the past, measuring development programs involved pen-and-paper surveys and many people. This was inefficient, expensive and time consuming, and at times it resulted in inaccurate data. The results would often only be available after months.
Today, thanks to improvements in technology, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) has become digital. This has increased efficiency and accuracy while reducing costs, making it easier to conduct different types of evaluation at different stages of a program. Monitoring and evaluation personnel can now communicate the effectiveness of their program to partners, sponsors, program officers, and the community at large.
We’ve put together 7 types of evaluation that you need to know about to have an effective M&E system. Using these types of evaluation can help your program deliver better results and have a greater impact, all while reducing costs!
Choosing the best types of evaluation depends on the stage at which your development program is. Each evaluation can help you make better decisions by giving you the right kind of data at the right time.
The best development project will conduct different types of evaluations, constantly looking to streamline their project or program at different stages and using different metrics.
(also known as ‘evaluability assessment’)
Formative evaluation is used before program design or implementation. It generates data on the need for the program and develops the baseline for subsequent monitoring. It also identifies areas of improvement and can give insights on what the program’s priorities should be. This helps project managers determine their areas of concern and focus, and increases awareness of your program among the target population prior to launch.
Conduct sample surveys and focus group discussions among the target population focused on whether they are likely to need, understand, and accept program elements.
Questions to ask:
(also known as ‘program monitoring’)
Process evaluation occurs once program implementation has begun, and it measures how effective your program’s procedures are. The data it generates is useful in identifying inefficiencies and streamlining processes, and portrays the program’s status to external parties.
Conduct a review of internal reports and a survey of program managers and a sample of the target population. The aim should be to measure the number of participants, how long they have to wait to receive benefits, and what their experience has been.
Questions to ask:
(also known as ‘objective-based evaluation’)
Outcome evaluation is conventionally used during program implementation. It generates data on the program’s outcomes and to what degree those outcomes are attributable to the program itself. It is useful in measuring how effective your program has been and helps make it more effective in terms of delivering the intended benefits.
A randomized controlled trial, comparing the status of beneficiaries before and during the program or comparing beneficiaries to similar people outside of the program. This can be done through a survey or a focus group discussion.
Questions to ask:
(also known as ‘cost analysis’, ‘cost-effectiveness evaluation’, ‘cost-benefit analysis’, and ‘cost-utility analysis’)
Economic evaluation is used during the program’s implementation and looks to measure the benefits of the programs against the costs. Doing so generates useful quantitative data that measures the efficiency of the program. This data is like an audit, and provides useful information to sponsors and backers who often want to see what benefits their money would bring to beneficiaries.
A systematic analysis of the program by collecting data on program costs, including capital and man-hours of work. It will also require a survey of program officers and the target population to determine potential areas of waste.
Questions to ask:
Impact evaluation studies the entire program from beginning to end (or at whatever stage the program is at), and looks to quantify whether or not it has been successful. Focused on the long-term impact, impact evaluation is useful for measuring sustained changes brought about by the program or making policy changes or modifications to the program.
A macroscopic review of the program, coupled with an extensive survey of program participants, to determine the effort involved and the impact achieved. Insights from program officers and suggestions from program participants are also useful, and a control group of non-participants for comparison is helpful.
Questions to ask:
Summative evaluation is conducted after the program’s completion or at the end of a program cycle. It generates data about how well the project delivered benefits to the target population. It is useful for program administrators to justify the project, show what they have achieved, and lobby for project continuation or expansion.
Conduct a review of internal reports and a survey for program managers and target populations. The aim should be to measure the change that the project has brought about and compare the change to the costs.
Questions to ask:
(also known as ‘objectively set evaluation)
Goals-based evaluation is usually done towards the end of the program or at previously agreed-upon intervals. Development programs often set ‘SMART’ targets — Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely — and goals-based evaluation measures progress towards these targets. The evaluation is useful in presenting reports to program administrators and backers, as it provides them the information that was agreed upon at the start of the program.
This depends entirely on the goals that were agreed upon. Usually, goals-based evaluation would involve some survey of the participants to measure impact, as well as a review of input costs and efficiency.
Questions to ask:
Development programs with effective monitoring and evaluation frameworks use different types of evaluation at different points of time. Some programs might even run two different types of evaluation at the same time for entirely different purposes. No matter what types of evaluation you use, we hope you find this blog useful in making your project and program more successful and efficient!
