Respond by Day 5 to two colleagues in one of the following ways:

• Provide an alternative suggestion of how program evaluation can be used.
• Provide support or an alternative perspective on the elements of program evaluation.

Programevaluation is a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and usinginformation to answer questions about projects, policies and programs,particularly about their effectiveness and efficacy (Wikipedia). The2020 User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation gives the definitionof Program Evaluation as a systematic investigation of the worth ormerit of an object. This definition was presented as Joint Committee onStandards for Educational Evaluation (1994). Program Evaluation alsohas to do with change management, administration and guidance,information and human resources capital as well as evidence-basedpractices (Hurley & Handley, 2010). These factors collectively playinto the needs of a successful program to be evaluated for potentialgrowth opportunities and/or shifts in the whole of the actual program.

Programsand projects generally want to be successful by ensuring hard work andimplementing good and solid objectives for those involved to adhere to,however, if the cohesion of ideas and ideologies are not similar, therecould in fact be a slow move in the direction of success. This is whyprogram evaluation is important; to ensure that all who are involved arein fact leaning toward the same and/or similar outcomes. In myprevious experience working with a non-profit agency, there were a fewforms of program evaluations, however, the climate of the agency wasthat of non-professionalism in which the cause of the systematicbehavior surprisingly came from upper management. Because ofmanagement’s rituals of behavior, they were in fact the root cause forthe climate of the agency in a negative way. Over time, the agencybegan to become divided due to old ways of doing things versus new andinnovative perspectives. Also, even though some of the old ways ofdoing things warranted new and different perspectives, some people choseto continue doing what they were doing because of being afraid tochange and go against the old system of doing. These acts led tounproductivity and low morale. This is why program evaluation isimportant and also necessary so that it may change who may attempt to goagainst the goals of making programs successful, can be weeded out forthe betterment of the agency as a whole.

Theexperience I have gained working in a non-profit agency and also havingtaken classes on program evaluation, I would use these tools in myfuture professional role to check on staff and ensure that their levelof understanding of the agency’s expectations are in-tact. I wouldutilize project managers as an initial point of contact for small groupsin order to make a cohesive team and also create a climate oftogetherness. I would make sure that my project managers knew theobjectives and answer any questions and/or concerns they may have andaddress those concerns first with the managers and then with all otherstaff. I would also advise that evaluations will be given on a regularbasis so that we as a group would know what areas will need improvementand what areas have already been met successfully. My success of theevaluations and the agency as a whole would in fact be on the knowledge,communication, and cohesive work of my staff.

Accordingto the 2010 User-Friendly Handbook for Program Evaluation, it statesthat evaluation provides information for communicating to a variety ofstakeholders and that it allows project managers to better tell theirstory and prove the worth of their projects and that this gives managersthe data they need to report “up the line” to inform upper leveldecisionmakers about the outcomes of their investments. Programevaluations, in essence, ensures the sustainability and success ofagencies and programs. Without program evaluations, those programs andagencies will ultimately stand the chance of weakening and essentiallybe deemed ineffective.

REFERENCES

The 2010 User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation

Hurley, Martha A., Danley, Dena. 2010. Correctional Administration & Change Management. CRC Press.

Wikipedia