Keeping on Track

Evaluation, in its simplest form, is the process of deciding the worth or value of something. In the pursuit of comprehensive community health, evaluation may serve a number of different purposes:

• determining if the activity has achieved its goal (i.e., the particular outcome to which it was aligned in the logic model)
• identifying ways to improve the outcome
• considering whether the activity was worth the effort and resources required
• providing accountability to partners or funding bodies

When monitoring and evaluation is regarded primarily in terms of accountability to those providing funds, emphasis too often focuses on making the story as positive as possible. On the other hand, when monitoring and evaluation is seen as an internally focused process that supports evidence-informed adaptation, emphasis is on identifying ways to improve effectiveness or efficiency in promoting community health within the changing circumstances of the community.

It is important to begin planning the evaluation stage early in the process, and not wait until after implementation. Evaluation needs to be conducted throughout the initiative and should be guided by the same logic model that guides implementation. There are three types of evaluation that relate to different steps within the logic model: