7.5 The evaluation itself would normally follow this sequence:
1. Establish exactly what is to be evaluated and how past outturns can be measured.
2. Choose alternative states of the world and/or alternative management decisions as counterfactuals.
3. Compare the outturn with the target outturn, and with the effects of the chosen alternative states of the world and/or management decisions.
4. Present the results and recommendations.
5. Disseminate and use the results and recommendations.
Evaluation requires management initiative (sometimes political commitment) and intensive monitoring. The thoroughness of an evaluation should depend upon the scale of the impact of a policy, programme or project, and to some extent on the level of public interest. There may be a high level of media interest around a project which has required a significant degree of expenditure, or one which is highly complex, novel, or represents a pilot for future large scale programmes. Evaluation reports should be widely disseminated and published, where appropriate, to contribute to the knowledge base upon which future decisions will be taken. |