1.6.2.2 Types of evaluation Table 2: Summary of types of evaluation across government 1 Type of Covers Timing evaluation Diagnostic This is preparatory research (often At key called ex-ante evaluation) to Evaluation stages prior ascertain the current situation prior to design or to an intervention and to inform planning intervention design. It identifies what is already known about the issues at hand, the problems and opportunities to be addressed, causes and consequences, including those that the intervention is unlikely to deliver, and the likely effectiveness of different policy options. This enables the drawing up of the theory of change before the intervention is designed Design Used to analyse the theory of After an change, inner logic and evaluation intervention consistency of the programme, has been either before a programme starts, designed, or during implementation to see in first year, whether the theory of change and possibly appears to be working. This is quick later to do and uses only secondary information and should be used for all new programmes. It also assesses the quality of the indicators and the assumptions. Implementation Aims to evaluate whether an Once or several times evaluation intervention’s operational during the mechanisms support intervention achievement of the objectives or not and understand why. Looks at activities, outputs, and
1.6.2.2 Types of evaluation Table 2: Summary of types of evaluation across government 1 Type of evaluation Covers Timing Diagnostic Evaluation This is preparatory research (often called ex-ante evaluation) to ascertain the current situation prior to an intervention and to inform intervention design. It identifies what is already known about the issues at hand, the problems and opportunities to be addressed, causes and consequences, including those that the intervention is unlikely to deliver, and the likely effectiveness of different policy options. This enables the drawing up of the theory of change before the intervention is designed At key stages prior to design or planning Design evaluation Used to analyse the theory of change, inner logic and consistency of the programme, either before a programme starts, or during implementation to see whether the theory of change appears to be working. This is quick to do and uses only secondary information and should be used for all new programmes. It also assesses the quality of the indicators and the assumptions. After an intervention has been designed, in first year, and possibly later Implementation evaluation Aims to evaluate whether an intervention’s operational mechanisms support achievement of the objectives or not and understand why. Looks at activities, outputs, and Once or several times during the intervention
3212049.DOCX