Figure 1: Planning the Program and Evaluation Methods
Step 1
Plan Your Program with a Logic Model
- Start with Outcomes
- Connect Activities to Outcomes
- Identify Inputs Needed to Conduct Activities
- Finish with a Reality Check
- Get Input from Your Team of Advisors
Step 2
Use Your Logic Model for Process Assessment
- Plan Ahead for Data Collection
- Conduct Audience Analysis
- Track Progress, Make Needed Changes, and Identify Lessons Learned
Step 3
Use Your Logic Model to Develop an Outcomes Assessment Plan
- Identify Quantifiable Indicators
- Choose a Target and Time Frame
- Write Objectives
- Create an Action Plan
Figure 2: A Logic Model's "If...Then" Concepts
Inputs: What We invest (If we get these resources...)
Activities: What we do, who we reach (...and conduct these activities to reach these people...)
Outcomes: (...then we will accomplish these outcomes.)
- Short-Term (Learning)
- Intermediate (Action)
- Long-Term (Conditions)
Figure 3: Basic Logic Model Template *
Program: Health Information Outreach Program
Goal: Improve community members' abilities to find, evaluate, and use health information
Inputs |
Activities |
Activities |
Outcomes |
Outcomes |
Outcomes |
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What we invest | What we do | Who we reach | Why we do it: Short-term results | Why we do it: Intermediate results | Why we do it: Long-Term results |
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Learning
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Action
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Conditions
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Assumptions
(Should be confirmed before beginning the program)
- Beliefs about the environment and community
- Assumptions about availability of resources needed to implement the project
External Factors
(Should be identified before beginning the program)
- Positive and negative influences
- Culture, economics, politics, demographics
* Adapted from the U.S. Government Accounting Office [8], the University of Wisconsin-Extension [7], and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation [9]
Figure 4: Examples of Different Outcomes
Types of Outcomes | Examples |
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Individual Level | |
Cognitive |
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Affective |
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Skills |
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Quality-of-Care |
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Community Level | |
Environmental |
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Social |
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Figure 5: Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Training Evaluation
Level 4 - Results |
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Level 3 - Behavior |
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Level 2 - Learning |
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Level 1 - Reaction |
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Note: The Kirkpatrick model traditionally has been portrayed as a triangle. Kirkpatrick himself changed the image in recent years, so Figure 5 presents his current portrayal of his model.
Figure 6: The Innovation-Decision Process
This is the process that individuals go through when adopting a new product, resource or behavior.
Figure 7: Assumptions in Program Planning
Category | Examples of Assumptions |
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Target Population |
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Environment |
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Staff |
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Figure 8: Using a Logic Model in Proposal Writing
Logic Model Column | Proposal Section |
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Inputs | Budget |
Activities | Strategies |
Outcomes | Results and evaluation |
Assumptions | Reviewers' questions |
External Factors | Support and barriers |
Figure 9: Using a Logic Model for Reporting
Logic Model Column | Report Section |
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Inputs | What you needed |
Activities | What you did |
Outcomes | What you accomplished |
Assumptions | Background |
External Factors | Background |
Figure 10: Process Assessment Questions and Methods
Process Questions | Information to collect | Methods |
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To what extent were you able to implement your project as planned? |
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To what extent were you able to conduct specific activities as they were planned? |
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How much community interest and activity did your projects generate? |
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To what extent did you reach your intended community? |
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How effective were your recruitment strategies for attracting community members? |
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What situational factors in the environment, community, or organizations affected project implementation? |
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Figure 11: Examples of Outcomes with Indicators and Objectives
Outcome | Indicator | Objective |
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Participants will feel more confident about locating high-quality health information on the Internet | Participants will indicate on the training evaluation form that they are more confident about locating high-quality health information on the Internet | One month after a training session, 50% of participants will report feeling more confident about locating high-quality health information on the Internet |
Diabetes patients will discuss information they found on MedlinePlus with their diabetes educator | Diabetes educator will track the number of diabetes education class participants who bring MedlinePlus information to discuss in class or at appointments | Three months after the training session, 50% of diabetes patients trained to use MedlinePlus will report having a discussion with their diabetes educator about the information they found on MedlinePlus |
Teenagers will use MedlinePlus to get health information for a family member after they receive training | Teenagers will indicate in a questionnaire that they got MedlinePlus information for family members | 50% of teenagers trained to use MedlinePlus will report getting health information from a family member within a month after training |
Library staff will use NLM resources more often after being trained on these resources | Library computers will show more hits to the library's NLM resource web page after library staff members have been trained | There will be a 25% increase in the number of visits to the library's NLM resource web page from the library's computers six months after all library staff members have completed training |
Figure 12: Evaluating Findings Using Success Criteria
Objective: At the end of a training session, 50% of participants will report feeling more confident about locating high-quality health information on the Internet
Measurable Indicator: % of participants who report feeling more confident about locating high-quality health information on the Internet
Target: 50% of participants
Time frame: One month after the training session
Data Source | Evalutation Method | Data Collection Timing |
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Training participants | Post-training electronic questionnaire sent to all training participants | Participants will receive the survey approximately 1 month after their training |
Figure 13: Evaluating Findings Using Change Over Time
Objective: There will be a 25% increase in the number of visits to the library's NLM resource web page from the library's computers within six months after all library staff has completed training
Measurable Indicator: % increase in the number of visits to NLM resource websites
Target: 25% increase
Time frame: Six months after library staff has been trained
Data Source | Evaluation Method | Data Collection Timing |
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Web traffic data from library computers | Pre/post training comparison of number of hits | Total number of visits to NLM resources three months prior to staff training (baseline) and total number of visits for the three months after staff training |