Evaluation Plans

An evaluation plan can serve as a contract or a memorandum of agreement between the evaluator and the client. As with a contract, it defines the roles and responsibilities of the evaluator and the client. The basic components of an evaluation include (a) a statement about the background of and rationale for the program, (b) a list of the stakeholders in the evaluation, (c) the purpose of the evaluation, and (d) the key questions to be answered by the evaluation. Each of these components will be briefly discussed.

The evaluator can obtain some initial information on the background and rationale for the program, process, or product by reviewing available documents and records. This information should be supplemented through meetings held with various stakeholders.

[Page 141]Each evaluation has ...