Decide what to monitor and evaluate

Decide what to monitor and evaluate

Step1. Define the scope of an evaluation

The first step in developing an evaluation is defining what is to be evaluated. This includes deciding on the exact activities that will be evaluated, the time period covered, and the geographical scope.

Step 2. Develop the programme intervention logic

The second step is developing the programme intervention logic. An intervention logic is the key evaluator’s tool as it explains how a programme or initiative is expected to work. It clarifies the logical chain from input (e.g. human and financial resources) through the actual programme activities to the output (e.g. number of young people registering with a PES or enrolling in formal education and training). The logic should articulate why each activity is expected to lead to the expected results/changes. It should identify the intermediary changes that are needed to achieve the final results.

The intervention logic breaks down the programme rationale into:

• inputs: resources invested
• process/activities: what the programme does
• outputs: what is directly produced/delivered and who takes part;
• results: what concrete changes can be identified at the level of individuals (learners or practitioners) or institutions;
• impacts: to what extent the programme decreases NEETs rates in the region

If contextual factors influence the programme implementation or its chances of success, then these should be also clarified. Discussing the intervention logic can clarify any assumptions about the context which are considered as necessary for the programme to succeed.

An intervention logic is not static. It is the starting point of a thought process on how to evaluate a programme. Throughout the process it can be fine-tuned to clarify the causal links between inputs, outputs, results and impacts.

Step 3. Formulate evaluation questions

Based on the programme description, scope definition and intervention logic, it is important to formulate a set of evaluation questions. These questions should capture the particular aspects of the programme which are evaluated. What programme aspects are evaluated depends in part on the stage of programme design and delivery. For example, if the goal is to refine an ongoing programme and improve its implementation, it will be relevant to ask questions about implementation aspects. If - on the other hand – the goal is to evaluate the impact of a programme, the relevant questions will be on the output and results of the programme.

The evaluation questions should reflect the purpose of the evaluation and should help determine when to conduct the evaluation. The table below provides some example questions: