What, Why and When to Evaluate
Program evaluations are systematic studies conducted periodically or on an ad hoc basis to assess program performance. As good management practice, they help managers determine if timely adjustments are needed in program design to improve the rate or quality of achievement relative to the committed resources. They can also help programs quantify program impact or benefits.
"Evaluation" means different things to different people. Evaluation can be synonymous with program descriptions, program documentation, tabulations of program activities and outputs, financial accounting for a program, and assessments of program effectiveness relative to its goals. Many definitions exist, but all involve, in one form or another, a systematic examination of the performance of an organized, purposeful program.
Programs in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) use several forms of evaluation to assess progress and to promote improvement.
Unfortunately, some program managers view evaluation-related activity cautiously. This is based in part on misconceptions or pitfalls that can be avoided. The view is gaining ground, however, that the primary reason to do evaluation is that is essential to good management practice and should be seen as a tool that not only measures a program's performance but also can contribute to its success.
The timing of evaluation-related activity will depend on programs overall strategy for evaluations and on where a program is in its life cycle.