The policy owner is accountable for managing the evaluation with assistance from the programme delivery team. There should be a level of independence from the areas responsible for policy and programme delivery. For evaluations of lesser strategic importance or terminated programmes this could be through an independent member on a Steering Committee or Reference Group. Seconding individuals from divisions separate from the policy and delivery areas is a viable option to provide some independence, build capability and alleviate resourcing constraints. Evaluation approach The table below outlines the fundamental issues which should be considered in determining the scale of an evaluation. There may also be times where Cabinet or central agencies determine the type of evaluation and when it should be conducted. The Evaluation Unit can provide advice and guidance on planning and conducting evaluations across all of the tiers. Tiers Three A & Three Tier One Tier Two B Significant funding Moderate funding Relatively small Characteristics of Programme funding or single Highest risk Medium risk payment grants Strategically New or untried Low risk significant programme that requires testing of Lesser strategic May be Flagship assumptions and or importance programme data Not widely publicised High public profile Medium level of and expectations Similar to other strategic importance programmes that Politically significant Moderate public have been subject to profile and evaluation activity expectations Formal process Greater of data Informal process Likely characteristics collection and Extensive Can be completed of Evaluation analysis consultation internally Multiple evaluation High resource Limited data points during the allocation requirements development and Central agencies may implementation Low resource be involved allocation Regular process reporting Wide public release Limited consultation Low profile release Evaluation Unit Evaluation Unit should Evaluation Unit should Evaluation Unit should role be consulted on be consulted on be consulted on development of development of development of methodology/terms of methodology/terms of methodology/terms of reference. reference. reference. Evaluation Unit Could be conducted by Reference Group should involvement either or in partnership with the have a level of conducting evaluation or Evaluation Unit or by independence.
The policy owner is accountable for managing the evaluation with assistance from the programme delivery team. There should be a level of independence from the areas responsible for policy and programme delivery. For evaluations of lesser strategic importance or terminated programmes this could be through an independent member on a Steering Committee or Reference Group. Seconding individuals from divisions separate from the policy and delivery areas is a viable option to provide some independence, build capability and alleviate resourcing constraints. Evaluation approach The table below outlines the fundamental issues which should be considered in determining the scale of an evaluation. There may also be times where Cabinet or central agencies determine the type of evaluation and when it should be conducted. The Evaluation Unit can provide advice and guidance on planning and conducting evaluations across all of the tiers. Tier One Tier Two Tiers Three A & Three B Characteristics of Programme Significant funding Highest risk Strategically significant May be Flagship programme High public profile and expectations Politically significant Moderate funding Medium risk New or untried programme that requires testing of assumptions and or data Medium level of strategic importance Moderate public profile and expectations Relatively small funding or single payment grants Low risk Lesser strategic importance Not widely publicised Similar to other programmes that have been subject to evaluation activity Likely characteristics of Evaluation Formal process Extensive consultation High resource allocation Central agencies may be involved Wide public release Greater of data collection and analysis Multiple evaluation points during the development and implementation Regular process reporting Informal process Can be completed internally Limited data requirements Low resource allocation Limited consultation Low profile release Evaluation Unit role Evaluation Unit should be consulted on development of methodology/terms of reference. Evaluation Unit involvement either conducting evaluation or Evaluation Unit should be consulted on development of methodology/terms of reference. Could be conducted by or in partnership with the Evaluation Unit or by Evaluation Unit should be consulted on development of methodology/terms of reference. Reference Group should have a level of independence.