A well-thought out evaluation can benefit your program and the people who use your services in a number of ways. It provides you with objective information to identify what’s working well and what is not, to make effective changes, to influence policymakers, and to raise funds.

Whether you are working with an outside evaluator, or conducting your own evaluation, the choices you make during the design process will determine the ultimate usefulness of the information you gather. It’s important to take time to identify your priorities and to select the most appropriate strategies before you begin to gather information. The following steps can help you do this.