Requirements for Evaluation

The majority of evaluations will not require highly specialist skills and knowledge. Undoubtedly, support from colleagues with experience of conducting evaluations will be valuable. However, the main requirement is to adopt a systematic approach based on an assessment of factors such as those outlined above. Considering such issues will help shape the questions which the evaluation should seek to address and will help define the data that should be collected in order to answer them. Ideally, services should:

• Have clearly stated aims and objectives which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound
• Be clear regarding the anticipated outcomes
• Be clear about the resources and time available, and adequacy of routinely collected data with respect to their ability to measure progress against the anticipated outcomes

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