Increasing the relevancy and usefulness of programme evaluation: a comprehensive evaluation

Most organizations implement evaluation research to determine how to improve a programme or to decide if a programme should be continued. However, evaluation research can be used to help organizations make relevant and valid decisions for the cycle of programme planning, programme development, programme implementation, and programme operation. This paper describes a "comprehensive evaluation model" which will provide a framework for understanding the importance of evaluation activities at all programme phases (i.e. planning, development, implementation, and operation). Four sequential evaluation stages are presented as being the framework for the "comprehensive evaluation model". It is argued that these stages are essential to the organization and the evaluator in helping them adequately provide an assessment of a programme's efficiency and effectiveness.