About the TEIP Program Evaluation Tool

What type of program is the Program Evaluation Tool designed for?

The Program Evaluation Tool can be used to guide evaluation planning for all programs (including an activity, set of activities or practices) related to health promotion, policy development, disease and injury prevention, and health protection..

How was the Program Evaluation Tool developed?

Despite the availability of numerous excellent evaluation resources, lack of confidence, skills, and supports for program evaluation is a perennial concern among health promoters in Canada. 

In 2006-07 TEIP hired Dr. Brian Rush, of Virgo Evaluation Planning and Consultation to provide intensive evaluation education and support to the original TEIP Pilot communities.  Dr. Rush’s approach emphasizes the development of a healthy organizational culture for evaluation and uses a participatory approach to involve program stakeholders in evaluation planning.

This Tool is the result of applying Dr. Rush’s approach to building local evaluation capacity. 

What does the Program Evaluation Tool do?

By following the systematic and practical guidelines and using the worksheets you will be able to develop a useful and realistic evaluation plan. The intended outcomes also include:

• Increased confidence and capacity for evaluation
• Generation of local practiced-based evidence
• Development of:
  • Realistic and useful evaluation questions
  • Relevant process and outcome indicators
• Understanding of the:
  • Central role of the Program Logic Model in developing an evaluation plan
  • Connections between the logic model, evaluation questions, indicators and data collection plan

Overview of the TEIP Program Evaluation Tool

How do I use the Program Evaluation Tool?

• Step 1: Select an evaluation team, using the Evaluation Team Worksheet, to increase buy-in, ensure a broader perspective, and build capacity.
• Step 2: Complete the Evaluation Resources Worksheet to assess the knowledge, confidence and resources that your organization holds for evaluation, and learn ways of increasing that capacity.
• Step 3: Use the Program Logic Model Template to develop or update your program logic model. A program logic model is an illustration that breaks the program down into component parts, and specifies the logical and sequential links between the program activities and the short and long term outcomes to be achieved as a result of implementing these activities.
• Step 4: With relevant stakeholders around the table, complete the Evaluation Questions Worksheet to brainstorm and define your evaluation questions. The priority questions selected will act as the focus of your evaluation and are linked to the Program Logic Model developed in step 3.
• Step 5: Once your priority evaluation questions are identified, you are on your way to building your evaluation plan. But first, your evaluation team must determine how to get answers for the priority evaluation questions created in Step 4. The Evaluation Framework is a basic format for moving from the evaluation questions to a more detailed evaluation plan. The framework connects all of the elements needed to complete the evaluation plan. These include the indicators, evaluation design, data collection methods & tools, and the methods of analysis. As a team, build the evaluation framework using the Evaluation Framework Template.
• Step 6: An evaluation plan describes in detail how the evaluation framework will be completed within the given limitations of time, budget, expertise and other resources. Select someone within your team who is familiar with the program to write the evaluation plan by filling out the Evaluation Plan Template.
• Step 7: Now it is time to put your plan into action! Your evaluation plan is complete and it is time to collect and analyze the data. Remember the ultimate goal of this step is to obtain the information you need to answer your priority evaluation questions and to inform future programming decisions.
• Step 8: After you have collected and analyzed the data it is time to document the entire evaluation and findings in the form of an evaluation report. The evaluation report is a document that contains all the information of your evaluation, from the planning right through to the findings. The Evaluation Report Template guides the development of this report.
• Step 9: The last step is to develop a plan to share your evaluation results with key stakeholders and put your results into action. Disseminating your results increases stakeholders’ support in the strategic decisions that will be made and contributes to the knowledge base of evidence. Developing an action plan focuses on reflecting on the evaluation results to determine the next steps for enhancing your program. The Dissemination Plan Template and Action Plan Template help to develop your plans for this step. Remember, modifying your program and disseminating the findings are complementary processes that occur hand in hand and feed into one another.
• Start again:  Keep in mind that quality enhancement of programming requires much planning and further evaluation. As such, program evaluation should be an ongoing process that continuously repeats itself in order to ensure programs are meeting the needs of those who use the services.

Did you use the Program Evaluation Tool? Send us your feedback.