This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at evalacademy.com. Kirkpatrick is probably one of those names/methods you’ve heard about in your evaluation career, but have you ever used it? I’m surprised how many evaluators I talk to that haven’t because I find it pretty useful and straightforward with tonnes of resources to […]
How to complete an environmental scan: avoiding the rabbit holes
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at evalacademy.com. Whether starting a new program or making changes to an existing one, you’re going to be faced with numerous questions about how best to move forward. And some of those questions can feel pretty daunting! Many organizations use environmental scanning as a method […]
How to develop a Theory of Change for evaluation
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at evalacademy.com. In this follow-up article, we will walk you through a step-by-step process of how you can develop your own Theory of Change (ToC) diagram for evaluation purposes. You can also find our Theory of Change template here which you can use to support […]
What is Theory of Change in evaluation?
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at evalacademy.com. We get it, Theory of Change (ToC) doesn’t really sound like the most fun, interesting, or appealing evaluation tool. I certainly wasn’t buzzing with excitement when I first heard the phrase ToC! If this also sounds like you, then you’ve come to the […]
Differences between Theory of Change, Log Frames, Results Frameworks and Logic Models – what are they and when to use them
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at evalacademy.com. In some of our previous articles, we’ve introduced and explained how to use different evaluation planning tools for identifying and assessing outcomes. You might have noticed how there seem to be quite a few tools doing very similar things. It’s no surprise that […]
What program managers need to share with their new evaluators
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at evalacademy.com. Evaluators – this one’s not for you, but maybe you can share it with some clients! As a program manager or project lead, you may find yourself needing an evaluator. How do you get that evaluator oriented to the project? What information do […]
What’s the difference between goal and objective? The most confusing evaluation jargon
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at evalacademy.com. I’ve had many experiences collaborating with other evaluators, colleagues, or program managers starting a new evaluation. Questions fly like “Which evaluation framework will we use?”, “What will our approach be?”, “What is the evaluation plan?”. And often, down in the weeds, we question […]
3 Easy Ways to Quantify Your Qualitative Data
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at evalacademy.com. You’ve completed your qualitative data collection and you’re writing up your report. You step back and look at All. The. Text. If only you had some quantitative data to include in a chart, or some numbers to report! We’ve previously written about how […]
Criteria Based Ranking in Developmental Evaluation
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at evalacademy.com. Developmental Evaluation is widely implemented and the preferred option for programs that address complex problems such as poverty and homelessness. There is a growing body of literature on Developmental Evaluation (DE) and more and more evaluators are embracing this approach (myself included!). For […]
The “mixing” in mixed methods
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at evalacademy.com. In evaluation, we use multiple types and sources of data, diverse methods of collection, or multiple evaluators to answer evaluation questions. Data integration is a way of merging these data from different sources through mixed methods. Data integration can enhance reliability in evaluation […]