The Evaluation Process

Abstract

The way the planning and implementation process in evaluations is structured depends primarily on the type of evaluation and not so much on the evaluand or on clients or contractors. As already shown in Chapter 2, every evaluation must come to terms with the basic questions of ‘who is to evaluate what, how, and applying what criteria?’ What is essential is that the evaluand be limited from the beginning, with the objectives of the evaluation clearly defined and the circle of those who are to be involved stipulated (cf. Alkin 2011 on most essential questions to be answered during the evaluation process). What purpose the evaluation is to serve is of central importance along with which phase of the programme process it is to refer to and therefore which analysis perspective is to be adopted. Once these questions have been resolved, investigation goals and assessment criteria must be laid down and the questions answered as to who is to conduct the evaluation and how, in other words using which investigation design.