Evaluation Pathway 3: High Quality Performance Evaluations

Speeches Shim

USAID intends to expand the number and improve the quality of performance evaluations it undertakes. The Agency expects that Performance Evaluations will become an increasingly important source of learning about the largest projects in its portfolio.

To ensure that Performance Evaluation produce credible evidence for making significant programming decisions, increased attention to the appropriateness and adequacy of data collection and analysis methods is needed, as is a better balance between the number and complexity of evaluation questions and the time and resources allotted. Quality control tools, such as checklists for reviewing evaluation SOWs and reports are now available. This pathway will help you strengthen the design and quality of the Performance Evaluations for which you are responsible.

Pathway Steps of Interest Evaluation Pathway #3:
High Quality Performance Evaluations		 Resources on this Pathway
Program Perspective Project Perspective
1 1  Performance Evaluation Designs Guidance on planning for a Performance Evaluation; links to methodologies and resources, including abridged version of Real World Evaluation used in USAID's evaluation courses
2 2 Getting to Answers Matrix Template for identifying appropriate data collection and analysis methods for each evaluation question
3 3 Trade Example: Getting to Answers Example of a completed "Getting to Answers" matrix
4 4 High Quality Evaluation Reports USAID "How To" evaluation report guidance; options for structuring report findings, conclusions and recommendations (also a step on Evaluation Pathway #2)
5 5 USAID Evaluation Report Template Template for preparing an Evaluation Report for USAID (also a step on Evaluation Pathway #2)
6 6  Evaluation Report Review Checklist Checklist for reviewing evaluation reports or sharing in advance with those who will write them (also a step on Evaluation Pathway #2)
 << Evaluation Pathway 2: Managing the Evaluation Process Up Evaluation Pathway 4: Rigorous Impact Evaluations >>

ProjectStarter

BETTER PROJECTS THROUGH IMPROVED
MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING

A toolkit developed and implemented by:
Office of Trade and Regulatory Reform
Bureau of Economic Growth, Education, and Environment
US Agency for International Development (USAID)

For more information, please contact Paul Fekete.