What are the different types of evaluation? What kinds of questions are usually asked for each type of evaluation?

What will be an ideal response?

There are four major types of evaluation: needs assessment, process evaluation, outcome evaluation, and policy analysis. Needs assessment is performed to identify current weaknesses or deficiency areas that can be remedied, or to project future conditions to which the program will need to adjust. The results of a needs assessment can contribute to the allocation of resources and efforts to meet existing needs. Data are identified and collected from various sources and stakeholders. The objectives are to identify and diagnose organizational or community-wide problems, prioritize them based on their critical nature and complications, and determine the desired outcomes to be sought.

An organizational needs assessment may ask the following questions: What are the key components of current services and programs, including medical, social, and health services? What are the problems of each service or program? What are their possible causes? What are the possible solutions to the problems identified for each service or program? For each solution identified, what are the organizational consequences for service objectives, management, staff, clients, financing, and service delivery? What is the optimal course of action to be chosen based on the organizational needs assessment?

A community needs assessment may ask the following questions: What are the populations at risk or in need within the community? What are the most frequently encountered health problems? What are the costliest health problems? What are the current services and programs (including primary, secondary, and tertiary care services) that target the population of interest? What are the problems and deficiencies of current community services and programs? What strategies can improve current community services and program? How can a course of action be implemented to solve the most pressing community-wide problems?

Process evaluation is concerned with how a program actually operates. It focuses on the staffing, budget, activities, services, materials, and administration of the program. It enables a better understanding of the program and monitors the operations of the program, assessing whether the program is properly implemented, complies with laws and regulations, and encounters any problems in implementation. The results of process evaluation can inform changes to aspects of the program.

Process evaluation addresses important questions such as: What are the essential activities and services of the program? What are their schedules? How are they operated? How are resources—including personnel, funding, and time—allocated and managed? How are activities related to outcomes or objectives? To what extent was the program implemented as planned? Was it implemented efficiently? What are the problems, both expected and unexpected, in implementation? How should the operations and management improve to address the problems?

Outcome evaluation, also called impact assessment, focuses on the accomplishments and impacts of a service, program, or policy, and its effectiveness in attaining its outcomes set prior to implementation. Outcomes may be compared with the status quo or an alternative program or policy with the same goals. The results help sponsors and stakeholders decide whether to continue, discontinue, or expand or reduce a program. Due to resource constraints, the results of a program or policy must be compared with the costs incurred in implementing the program.

Outcome evaluation addresses questions such as: What are the goals and objectives of the program or policy? How are they measured and assessed? What alternative programs are available? How are the essential components of the program related to achieving its goals and objectives? How successful is the program in accomplishing its intended results? How effective is the program in comparison with alternative programs or by some objective standard? How costly is this program in comparison with alternative programs? What is the impact of the program and its components? Which program components best accomplish each of its goals and objectives? What gaps exist in meeting the program goals and objectives? What changes should be made to better attain the goals and objectives? What are the unanticipated outcomes, both positive and negative, of the program? What decisions can be made regarding the continuation, expansion, modification, and promulgation of the program?

Policy analysis establishes goals, identifies and evaluates alternatives, and chooses the optimal way to reach the goals. It involves creating problems that can be solved by organizations in an action area, and is typically performed with limited time, information, and resources. Its purpose is to inform policy and decision makers of available options, provide a framework for evaluating them, predict their consequences, and assist in rational and informed problem-solving. The five-step framework includes establishing the context of the policy analysis, identifying the alternatives, predicting the consequences, evaluating the outcomes, and making a choice.