Program Evaluation
Program evaluation is a key part of the federal government’s strategy to manage the outcomes of experiments. Program evaluation consists of a cycle which includes design, implementation, and finally, evaluation of the program. This cycle of program evaluation fits into the broader cycle of the government's expenditure management system.
The measurement of performance is an important link in the cycle of program evaluation. Program evaluation should create timely, appropriate, credible and objective findings and conclusions on program performance. The conclusions of program performance in program evaluation are based on appropriate and truly reliable data collection and analysis. Usually, a program evaluation should present the inferences in a balanced and presentable manner. The appropriate presentation of program evaluation signifies reliability in the findings.
There are three phases of program evaluation:
- The first phase of program evaluation consists of assessment of the program evaluation, or the assessment of the framework.
- The second phase of program evaluation consists of the intense study of the program evaluation.
- The third phase of program evaluation consists of the decision making of program evaluation, which is based on the findings and recommendations.
In the first phase of program evaluation, the researcher identifies the major issues and the questions that are to be addressed in the study. In this phase of program evaluation, the researcher develops a suitable method for gathering the evidence on the major issues.
Once the program evaluation begins, the researcher develops precise terms of reference, and then the assessment of the study can begin.
There are program evaluation strategies which require that the researcher generate credible conclusions about the study.
Casual inference in program evaluation involves clarification of the meaning of the outcomes of the program. In order to understand the outcomes caused by a program, the researcher has to evaluate what the outcome would be if the program had not been implemented. This concept of program evaluation is called the causal inference of program evaluation.
But this causal inference in program evaluation is applied only to a handful of programs. In other words, the causal inference in program evaluation is not applicable for all the programs. Such kind of inferences in program evaluation can be applied only to those programs that are observed to alter the behavior of the individuals or firms through grants, services or regulations with the intervention of the government.
There is an ideal evaluation design in program evaluation. This design in program evaluation involves the comparison of the two types of groups. In this design of program evaluation, one of the groups is exposed to the program. The characterization of the differences between the groups to the program is done in this design of program evaluation.
There is also a design called randomized experimental design in program evaluation. This is the most exact approach used for establishing causal relations between the programs and their outcomes. The major disadvantage of such experimental designs for program evaluation is that such designs are not very feasible to implement in many governmental programs. Still, such designs are important for program evaluation. This is because the design for program evaluation represents the closest approximation as compared to the ideal evaluation design.
The experimental or randomized designs in program evaluation are characterized by a random assignment of potential participants participating in the program. This design used for program evaluation also ensures the equivalence by comparing the groups.
There are large numbers of experimental designs in program evaluation. These include classical randomized comparison group design, factorial design, latin square design, etc.
