Making the Case for Program Evaluation

Chapter 1

CSUMB Public Administration 432

Spring, 2015

pzerounian@csumb.edu

Key Principles

Vital for program: Effectiveness Quality Efficiency Reach Equity Ethical practice

Key Principles

Tension between: Needs and resources Helping few, helping many Self examination & business as usual Innovation and entrenched bureaucracy Program goals & environmental conditions Courage and fear

Poor past experiences

Caution:

Best Practices aren’t always best: Culture Socio-economic status Resource differential Delivery differential Skill level / training External events Recent events

Evaluation Perspectives

Client / Consumer / Patient Family members Focus population Funders & other stakeholders Agency / Organization Community of Practice

Essential Ingredients

Commitment to ethics Commitment to quality & continuous

improvement Time, funds, attitude

Quest for knowledge Ability for logic Ability to focus – separate wheat from chaff

Valuable Tool for Improvement

Purpose: assess content and delivery for effectiveness, efficiency, quality, reach, and/or equity

Critical to program success, and should not be treated as an after-thought

Need to engage stakeholders to influence agency decision-making Program staff & managers, focus population, funders