What is Evaluation?

Professional evaluators determine the merit or worth of programs, products, processes, personnel, and policies.

The program, product, process, personnel, or policy being evaluated is referred to as the evaluand. Evaluators seek to understand how the evaluand is operating, and the impact of that evaluand on organizations and society. Evaluators then inform stakeholders of the evaluation results and make recommendations to them on how to improve the evaluand.

Evaluators work with stakeholders and subject matter experts to answer questions such as:

• What are we evaluating (the evaluand)?
• What is the background information and current situation of the evaluand?
• What are the criteria and standards that govern the evaluand?
• How does the evaluand measure up to the established criteria and standards?
• What must happen in order to improve the evaluand?

Evaluations can be in any discipline (e.g., education, government, military, business and industry, NGOs, non-profit). Evaluations can include quantitative, qualitative, or mixed method information. Evaluators work with clients to plan, conduct, and report on evaluation information. Evaluators are found in multiple, worldwide settings (e.g., academia, independent consultants, consulting firms, internal evaluators within organizations), and assist in a variety of evaluation services.