Program Evaluation

A Program Evaluation is an assessment of a program’s procedures and outcomes, carried out to improve the effectiveness and/or efficiency of a program. For example, does the program achieve its goals and keep costs down? These evaluations are done in the fields of health, education, social services, and business, among others, and the results influence decision making on program design, implementation, and continuation. Program evaluators collect data systematically and follow the same rigorous methods used in research, but the evaluations are focused on the specific needs of the client or of a particular program.