Evaluation Plan Assignment

 Evaluation Plan Assignment

For this assignment, you will develop an Evaluation Plan that identifies how you will assess the strategy outlined in your Theory of Change/Logic Model. You will not actually conduct an evaluation for this assignment, because (for most of you) your ventures are still incubating. However, having a plan in place that outlines how you intend to measure your success or flag areas for improvement is important information for investors. 

Your Evaluation Plan will include:

1. The overall purpose, rationale and focus of the evaluation - The WHY of the Evaluation Plan. This section should be answered in a page or less. You can answer these three parts in any order that suits you, as long as you address all three.  – 7 points

a) The purpose

Articulate what insight(s) you seek to gain on the: state of affairs? the value, merit, worth, significance of initiatives, processes, strategies, plan, and/or systems? the quality of a program, product, person, policy, proposal, and/or new knowledge? 

What type(s) of evaluation(s) will you conduct as provided by Russ-Eft & Preskill (2007)? In other words, is your aim developmental? Formative? Summative? For monitoring and audit? Outcome? Impact? Performance measurement? A combination of any of these? Other?  Chances are you will be conducting at least two types, with the common two being formative and summative.

Will the data you intend to collect tell the full story of the implementation of your Theory of Change, and what change occurred as a result? Or are intending to capture a partial story? Have you included metrics for the target population, program implementation, and program outcomes? (learningforaction.com)

b) The rationale

Ask yourself these questions when developing this area and answer the one(s) that are pertinent to your venture.

● What decisions, if any, are the evaluation findings expected to influence? For example, will the data you intend to collect be useful for making decisions that can improve performance or outcomes?

● What data and findings are needed to support decision making?

● When will decisions be made? When must the evaluation findings be presented to be timely and influential?

● What is at stake in the decisions?

● How much influence do you expect the evaluation to have, realistically?

● To what extent has the outcome of the decision already been determined?

c) The focus

Describe the specific social part(s) of your venture’s logic model that you believe would be most pertinent in gaining the insight you desire, and which form the basis of this evaluation plan.  

Hint: identify at least one outcome and its component parts (and, if possible, select an impact indicator), ie. the threading you did in your Logic Model.  

2. The components of the Plan: the WHAT and HOW specifics of your Evaluation Plan, followed by the WHERE and WHEN. This section will likely take a couple pages to answer; you might want to answer this in the form of a table or grid.  For this section, we will be following the Learning in Action framework. – 9 points 

https://learningforaction.com/developing-a-plan. *

a. Define the areas of inquiry in the form of learning questions. Create 3-5 priority questions that will describe the information you need to collect and are withing the scope of your Theory of Change. (In other words, don’t introduce something brand new that isn’t in your Logic Model.)

b. Identify your metrics (measures for process / indicators for outcomes) – the data elements you seek to collect. As previously described, there are two types of metrics: process and outcome. Process metrics often focus on the target population and often center on inputs and outputs. Outcome metrics center on the changes you aim to accomplish in individuals, systems or institutions as a result of your program. An extension of outcome metrics is capturing indicators of impact.

c. Choose the data collection methods. How will you collect the data? Will you use one format? Several to triangulate the data? Different methods for different purposes? 

Be specific with the format and methodology, e.g. your approach(es) as well as choice(s) between qualitative or quantitative or mixed methods. 

Will the data collection methods get you the information you need.  For example, surveys tell you about the magnitude of change, but are less useful for understanding how and why the change came about. (learningforaction)

d. Specify data sources, e.g. primary or secondary details

e. Specify the timing and frequency of data collection.

3. Communicating the results: the WHO (and for whom) you will provide results of your findings. First, you would need to analyze and interpret the data. – 2 points

a. Identify the key stakeholders / audience interested in your data

b. Articulate when and where you would expect to provide information, e.g. in what format(s) 

4. Additional considerations. – 2 point

Address at least one of the issues below.

a. Give an example of how you will ensure validity / reliability of your tools and results

b. Give an example of how you will ensure cultural humility and ethics

c. Give an example of how will you ensure equity - specifically mitigating inherent bias - in the design of the specific assessments and tools

You may choose to write out this assignment in narrative form or present it in power point format.

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* Please use the Measurement Plan Worksheet format and resources from Learning for Action.

* You can also see the Evaluation Plan in the ACLAC Strategic Plan as an example.

* You can also use as a reference Social Return on Investments Comprehensive Guide.