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5. Writing report
In order for the results of an evaluation to be useful, it is necessary to consider at an earlier point of time when to report on the evaluation and its results to whom and in what form.
Formative evaluation
“A type of process evaluation of new programs or services that focuses on collecting data on program operations so that needed changes or modifications can be made to the program in the early stages. This type of (=>) evaluation is carried out while a (=>) project or (=>) program is implemented in order to provide timely, continuous feedback as work progresses”. (From: Nonprofit Good Practice Guide, Formative Evaluation)
If you conduct a formative evaluation to accompany the development, the results of the evaluation should be reported regularly at specified points in time, usually guided by the progress of the project and the information needs of the project staff.
The results can be reported in written (as final reports or status reports) or oral (as meetings) form. Since a formative evaluation is often conducted by the project staff themselves and these are obviously informed about the results automatically, they sometimes do not not attach great importance to reporting. Nevertheless, good documentation is worth producing; it can be attached to the project report or can constitute a basis for summative evaluation.
Possible topics for a written status report (formative evaluation) are as follows:
1. Object of the evaluation (which part of the project / system has been evaluated?)
Object of the evaluation
Evaluand; object that is being evaluated, whether that object is a => project or => program. Evaluation process The logical procedure involving planning, executing, and analysing an => evaluation.
2. Goals of the evaluation (which questions is the evaluation to answer?)
3. Methods and
progress of the evaluation
4. Results (strengths,
weaknesses, conditional factors, difficulties, etc.)
5. Conclusions and
recommendations for
further development
Summative evaluation
Summative evaluation allows the [subsequent] control of quality, effects and usefulness of an educational course. The question of interest is whether an educational course or individual components of the course can meet certain expectations in practice (translated from Tergan, 2000).
As a project staff member, you are usually required to report conclusively on the evaluation of your project as part of the project report. The report is nor normally aimed at the project staff, more the people responsible for the program or the sponsors. They are primarily interested in knowing to what extent you have succeeded in achieving the project goals.
One important aspect from the perspective of the people responsible for a program is the question of how to obtain statements on the program from the mass of the project reports. In order to make it easier to merge the results from the individual project evaluations, the program management might specify a structure for the evaluation report which could look as follows:
1. Goals of the project
2. Measures to achieve the project goals
3. Criteria and indicators of the goal
achievement
4. Evaluation methods and tools used.
Evaluation methods
The means by which a => program or => project is evaluated. These are empirical research methods from social sciences as well as statistical approaches to data collection and analysis, which should be suitable for the evaluation aims and objects under study. For => formative evaluations, the design tends to include the use qualitative methods, whereas in => summative evaluations, the emphasis is on quantitative methods , though the boundaries are fluid. (translated from: Glossar wirkungsorientierte Evaluation, Evaluationsmethode)
5. Results of the evaluation
You can find here a checklist of contents of an evaluation report (doc, 32 kB) (source: Läubli-Loud, 1997).
You can find here criteria for the assessment of evaluation reports (doc, 32 kB) (source: Läubli-Loud, 1997).
