Evaluation Types

Program evaluation comes in many formats, most notably as formative and/or summative evaluations. 

Formative and summative evaluations differ regarding evaluation goals and associated evaluation questions.

Evaluation Type

1. Identify your evaluation type:
   1. Formative - ongoing; feedback for involvement (if formative, proceed to step 2)
   2. Summative - conclusions at end of project or period (if summative, proceed to step 3)
2. Formative Evaluation
   1. Process questions to be answered:
      1. Is the process and program implementation being followed according to specifications? 
      2. What are the strengths and challenges of the program?
   2. Outcome questions to be answered:
      1. To what extent are outcomes being reached throughout the program?
      2. What adjustments do we need to make in order to reach our outcomes?
3. Summative Evaluation
   1. Process questions to be answered:
      1. What are the best practices derived from the program?
   2. Outcome questions to be answered:
      1. To what extent were outcomes reached?
      2. What was the value of the project?