Choosing Evaluation Models: A Discussion on Evaluation Design

Abstract

A variety of different evaluation models are presented in the evaluation literature. These mostly fall into the following categories: results models, process models, system models, economic models, actor models, and programme theory models. This raises the question: ‘how can evaluation sponsors and evaluators decide how to design an evaluation with so many models to choose from?’ In this article, several - mutually incompatible - recommendations are discussed. Design should be determined by the purpose of the evaluation, the object of evaluation or the problem to be solved by the evaluated programme or agency. The recommendations are based on different rationales: goals-means, context-based values and programme theory. Furthermore, in practice other logics may influence the evaluation design processes. Four hypotheses concerning such logics are proposed: negotiation, appropriateness, ‘routine’ and projection of competence. © 2005, Sage Publications. All rights reserved.