April 18, 2017
When you think of evaluation, do you have flashbacks to sitting in school, pencil in hand, taking a spelling or math test? If so, you are not alone! After all, that test was one way for your teacher to evaluate how well you understood and could apply the lesson materials. But, evaluation is much more than tests…
“Evaluation” is a term used in many different fields, and often it can mean different things to different people at different times. Sometimes evaluation is used to help improve programs that are currently operating; other times it is used to determine what impact a program had after it has concluded.
Despite the different purposes evaluation serves, all evaluations have one thing in common – the application of systematic methods to collect and analyze data that are meaningful and relevant to a given program, service, or initiative. At Via Evaluation, we are guided by Michael Quinn Patton’s concept of Utilization-Focused Evaluation, which emphasizes not only the collection and analysis of data, but the use of the results of the evaluation.
Since 1998, the team at Via has provided tailored evaluation products and services to our clients. We believe that an evaluation should be designed with the end users in mind to ensure the time, effort, and resources invested in evaluation return the largest dividends. Whether you are just beginning to plan a new project, currently running programs, or want to know what impact your programs have had, the Via team can bring their skills and experience to develop a custom evaluation product, tailored to your specific needs and audience.
Get more use out of your evaluation…Contact Via Evaluation for a free consultation today! Call 716-362-0627 or email us at [email protected]
