Developing and Using an Evaluation Consultation Group

This guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a detailed outline of the need for and the process of developing an Evaluation Consulting Group (ECG) or Advisory Group.

"An ECG is useful when it contributes to evaluation perspectives and program or policy 

• Planning evaluation activities.
• Prioritizing evaluation activities.
• Designing evaluation activities.
• Implementing evaluation activities.
• Reporting evaluation activities.
• Using evaluation findings for program or policy improvement and accountability" (Baizerman, 2011) 

Contents

• Developing and Using an Evaluation Consultation Group 
• What Is an ECG?
• Why Must I Have an ECG?
• Why Do I Want To Have and Use an ECG?
• How Can an ECG Contribute to Better and More Useful Evaluations?
• Types and Contributions of ECGs
• Considerations Across Groups
• Should the ECG be Evaluated?
• Example Process Evaluation Type Questions for ECG
• Outcome Evaluation Type Questions for ECG
• How do I Improve the ECG?
• Should the ECG Develop a Logic Model?
• Figure. ECG Logic Model
• What Is the Role of the Evaluation Facilitator?
• Who Should Be Appointed as Evaluation Facilitator?
• To Whom Does the Evaluation Facilitator Report?
• Three Primers on Working with an ECG
• Developing an ECG
• How the Evaluation Facilitator Can Begin Working with the ECG
• How Does the EF Manage the ECG?
• Appendix A: Example Advisory Group Materials from State Programs