Evaluation Management
Categorizing Evaluation
Evaluation Management can be categorized in three ways.- Project Evaluation Management (PEM) involves the oversight and leadership of projects to determine:
- merit (quality)
- worth (value) and/or
- significance (importance)
- Project Management Evaluation (PME) includes the assessment and analysis of project life cycles, systems and methodologies (i.e., DMAIC, ADDIE, PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT).
PME aims to determine the preferred PM method to use given specific requirements. For example, a "GAP Analysis" may be used in a summative context to determine what was missed using DMAIC. Whereas, Performance Improvement" may be used In a formative context to determine improved PM practices as it relates to business continuity planning. - Evaluation Project Management (EPM) addresses managing evaluation projects through evaluation approaches, which have the form of a project life cycle, system or process. One popular example of evaluation project management is Scriven's Key Evaluation Checklist. The benefit of using the KEC is that it provides a framework by which to conduct evaluations or meta-evaluations. A meta-evaluation purposes to judge the evaluation by using the same or different criteria.
- Re-evaluation: same people using the same criteria take a look at the lessons learned for purposes of accuracy
- Meta-evaluation: different people use the same criteria or different criteria to gather additional insight into the lessons learned.
- Meta-analysis: multiple lessons learned are reviewed to look at common themes or approaches that have been successful.
Classifying Evaluation (which road to choose)
Classifications of evaluation include
- Project Evaluation: component evaluation is analytic evaluation, which involves an assessment of each aspect of the evaluand (project), and the sum of the whole consisting of a report on the merit (relative quality based upon criteria) of each item. Each component is segmented into Process Groups and Knowledge Areas.
- Program Evaluation (traditional programs, not project-related program management): Individual evaluations conducted periodically to determine how well a program is working, i.e., English as a Second Language (ESL).
- Policy Evaluation: analyses conducted to determine adherence, i.e., Compliance to No Child Left Behind Legislation.
- Process Evaluation: focuses on characteristics or variables such as method, system, or sequence.
- Performance Evaluation: result of achievement based upon established criteria or values.
- Product Evaluation: the comprehensive review of goods, services or results, i.e., the product of the project.