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Module D > Outcomes 

 

Evaluating outcomes

 

Evaluating a program by its outcomes means you define success by the measurable changes in program participants brought about by participating in your program. Remember that you may write more than one outcome (so be sure each outcome contains only one concept to measure).

Measurable: That is, you can test for the change or observe it. But if you made a movie of success, the camera would focus on people, not on mechanisms or processes used to create the hoped-for results.

Changes in participants: Remember we’ve defined an outcome as a change in a target audience’s skills, attitudes, knowledge, behaviors, status, or life condition brought about by experiencing a program.

Define success:  Does the outcome represent a benefit for the target audience? Do key stakeholders accept the outcome as valid for your program? Finally, is the outcome realistic and attainable?

Participating in your program:  Is it sensible to claim your program services influenced the outcome?

How do we measure outcomes?

Skills: Student Bird Watchers can identify local birds by sight and name.

Attitudes: Student Bird Watchers no longer think science is boring.

Knowledge: Student Bird Watchers know what local birds eat and what predators they face.

Behavior: Children read for pleasure over three hours per week.

Status: Students use educational materials on library computers to get General Education Diploma and improved salary and job prospects.

Conditions:    Local residents stop smoking after using improved access to reliable, understandable medical information.

Short-term, medium-term and long-term outcomes

Remember, outcomes can be observed in the short term, medium term, and long term. Start with an achievable, measurable short-term outcome, then ask “what happens next?” Then “what happens after that?” In this way you show how you assume the program leads to long-term outcomes or goals. Examine the examples below.

Short-term outcomes: changes in skills, attitudes and knowledge 
(Student Bird Watcher can identity 5 birds by name in an exhibit and on a field trip.)

Medium-term outcomes: changes in behavior and decision making 
(Student Bird Watcher chooses bird-watching activity for family vacation.)

Long-term outcomes: changes in status of life conditions 
(Student Bird Watcher becomes biology major in college.)

Plan to evaluate short-term outcomes, but check whether you have the time and money to evaluate any medium- or long-term outcomes. For example, fire fighters teach fire safety to children with the long-term goal of reducing the number of children as fire victims, but the outcome is medium-term: “children demonstrate knowledge of fire safety” as tested in a teacher-administered survey 4th weeks after their museum visit to see if they can identify the safest way out of their house in case of an emergency.

 

Library example: Outcomes for the Riverton program

The Riverton Library Memoirs Program is offering a year-long program with a facilitator helping participants to grow in their writing of autobiographically-based essays through critique, discussions with published writers and public performance.

 

Measuring outcomes

Let’s look at how complex programs measure outcomes:

• by choosing indicators of success
• deciding on data sources
• planning who or what will provide the data
• timing the gathering of data appropriately
• setting targets for success.

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