1. PPA 502 – Program Evaluation Lecture 2a – Practical Suggestions for Evaluation Management

2. Clarifying the Evaluation Mandate  Gain agreement on the evaluation mandate before or very early in the evaluation.  Check this agreement periodically during contacts with evaluation clients and sponsors.  Minimize the cost of maintaining agreement by integrating checks on the mandate with technical evaluation activities, such as client review of draft data collection and analysis protocol.  Beware of tacit agreements.

3. Staffing and Organizing for Results  Use a staffing matrix and observations about interpersonal communication skills to facilitate initial selection of staff members.  Organize evaluation staff members into teams based on project tasks, evaluation methodology, or subject matter responsibilities.  In evaluations with two or more teams, form a synthesis group to foster coherent effort across the technical teams.

4. Making Assignments Productive  Be very clear about each assignment’s product, outcome, or end point as well as resources and expected completion date.  If possible, use well-chosen examples from similar projects to illustrate expected products.  Formalize assignment agreements.

5. Monitoring Interim Progress  Don’t confuse expected activity and expenditure levels with commensurate technical progress.  Time monitoring episodes to complement and not impede product development.  Ensure that project management staff are effective monitors.

6. Assuring Product Quality and Usefulness  Involve the sponsor, program, and other representatives of the evaluation audience in a four-step report development process.  Start early in the project with an outline, and then use a briefing to gain agreement about the content of the report.  Solidify the agreement on report content through follow-up briefings on draft products; reserve polishing and editing resources until the technical content is finalized.