Program Design & Strategic Planning Flashcards

A CPL wants to measure whether a job-readiness program is achieving its intended outcomes. Which type of evaluation examines whether the program is causing the observed changes?

Answer: Impact evaluation

Impact evaluation examines the causal relationship between the program and observed changes in participants, often using comparison groups or control designs.

Formative evaluation is BEST used:

Answer: During program implementation to improve ongoing quality

Formative evaluation is conducted during program implementation to identify what is working and what needs adjustment, enabling continuous quality improvement.

Which data collection method is MOST useful for understanding participants' personal experiences and the meaning they attach to a program?

Answer: In-depth qualitative interviews

In-depth qualitative interviews allow participants to describe experiences in their own words, revealing meaning, context, and nuance that quantitative tools cannot capture.

A CPL is selecting performance indicators for a mentorship program. Which indicator is MOST directly aligned with a long-term outcome of 'improved academic achievement'?

Answer: Percentage of mentees who increase GPA by at least 0.5 points

A GPA improvement indicator directly measures academic achievement, making it the most relevant long-term outcome indicator compared to process metrics like matches or training hours.

In program evaluation, what is the purpose of a 'comparison group'?

Answer: To provide a baseline against which program participants' outcomes can be measured

A comparison group (non-randomly assigned) or control group (randomly assigned) allows evaluators to attribute observed changes to the program by comparing with similar individuals not receiving the intervention.

A CPL receives evaluation findings showing low participant satisfaction scores. What is the MOST appropriate first action?

Answer: Conduct follow-up qualitative inquiry to understand the reasons behind low satisfaction

Quantitative satisfaction scores point to a problem, but qualitative follow-up is needed to understand root causes before making programmatic changes.

Which principle ensures that evaluation findings are communicated in ways that are useful and actionable for program decision-makers?

Answer: Utilization-focused evaluation

Utilization-focused evaluation, developed by Michael Quinn Patton, prioritizes designing evaluations whose findings will actually be used by specific stakeholders to make decisions.