Types of evaluation in project management
Types of evaluation in project management

Types of evaluation models are discussed in this article to provide answers about what are the 5 steps of evaluation. We further outline what are the main types of evaluation, different methods of evaluation, and the types of evaluation in teaching. In further explaining this concept it is ideal to look at types of evaluation in education and importantly what are the 4 types of evaluation in education.

Types of evaluation models and methods: The main evaluation methods are goal-based, process-based evaluation and outcomes-based evaluation. Evaluation models derive from the 4 types of evaluations which are Process, Impact, Outcome, Summative and Formative evaluation.

What are the 4 types of evaluations? According to The Project Management Institute; the main types of evaluation are process, impact, outcome and summative evaluation.

Evaluation: Depending on its specific purpose, a high-quality evaluation provides information that enables you to improve an ongoing project, judge the overall merits of a project, or generate knowledge about what works and what doesn’t to influence an organization’s strategy and policy.

Types of evaluation approaches

What are the 4 types of evaluation and types of evaluation models? types of evaluation are shared below which includes process, impact, outcome and summative evaluation method. The main types of evaluation in project management are process, impact, outcome and summative evaluation.

What is involved in Evaluation?

Evaluation involves finding out – normally at the end of a project cycle – if the project was worthwhile, achieved its goals and was implemented efficiently. It is also determined if there had been any unintended outcomes and if they were negative or positive.

Monitoring and evaluation gives you the ability to be very specific about your impact and your successes instead of relying on guesses and feelings which can erode investor and sponsor confidence. It gives rationale for the manner in which resources are used.
Monitoring and evaluation shows accountability especially when an independent and external agency is engaged. This inspires confidence for further funding to your organization.

For instance it inspires confidence in sponsors if you can argue that “We conducted a project in the past and had result x, y, and z, and they improved x % percent compared to the baseline study, so now we want to scale up or repeat the project” instead of using vague data and perceptions or opinions instead of facts.

1.Process Evaluation

Process evaluation is the type of evaluation that measures the success or failures of the process of an evaluation itself. It evaluates to understand if the process was a success . This form of evaluation answers as to if the right thing is been done? Process based evaluation measures if correct procedures had been followed? What has been missing and improvements to improve the process of an evaluation.

2. Impact Evaluation

Impact evaluation measures the impact of an evaluation plan or program. Impact can be positive or negative, for example increase in the number of children educated since the project intervention. A negative impact could be something not intended when the project program was introduced, for example increased student turnout in in class. Its a measure of the activeness and efficient of the program, did it achieve the intended goals as expected and what was its impact. This is what impact evaluation really focusses on.

3. Outcome Evaluation

Outcome evaluation measures the work based results. Work results are the outcomes of the activities performed to accomplish the project. Information on work results—which deliverables have been completed and which have not, to what extent quality standards are being met, what costs have been incurred or committed, etc.

This is collected as part of project plan execution and fed into the performance reporting process for a more detailed discussion of performance reporting). It should be noted that although outcomes are frequently tangible deliverables such as buildings, roads, etc., they are also often intangibles such as people trained who can effectively apply that training.

4. Summative Evaluation

Evaluation is normally carried out during a project or after the project, often at the mid-point. The purpose of a formative evaluation is to help shape the future of the project or program concerned, and thereby improve performance. A formative evaluation tends to be more focused on learning and management than accountability. By contrast, a summative evaluation is often carried out at the end of a project or program.

It is usually designed to assess what was achieved, and how. Summative evaluations are often implemented when a
project or program has ended, or is about to end, and it is no longer possible to make changes to that project or program. However, lessons may still be learned that could help shape future interventions.

To conclude: What are the three main types of evaluation? The three main types of evaluation methods are goal-based, process-based and outcomes-based. The two types of evaluation considered important are formative and summative. But the main types of evaluation are process, impact, outcome and summative type of evaluation.

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