Evaluation Process

Program evaluation at OEA is a collaborative process. The first step is to contact one of our program evaluators. They will start by learning about your program (or proposed program) and will work with you to design an evaluation plan that will provide you and your stakeholders with the information you need. This initial design step often involves a process of articulating the goals and outcomes of the program; hence, it can be beneficial for the evaluation team to be involved in the early stages of program development.

Based on this evaluation plan, OEA evaluators will design instruments and procedures that will provide useful information about your program’s progress towards its goals and how the program can be improved. The program evaluation team is highly trained in social science research methods and will gather both quantitative and qualitative data from a variety of sources to serve your needs. Our primary purpose is to provide timely and constructive information that you can apply to decisions concerning your program.

Findings may be shared at various stages of the evaluation process as needed. For example, during program implementation, evaluators can provide formative evaluation findings so that program staff can make immediate, data-based decisions about program implementation and delivery. In addition, evaluators can, towards the end of a program or upon its completion, provide cumulative and summative evaluation findings, often required by funding agencies and used to make decisions about program continuation or expansion