Evaluation work plan

An evaluation work plan involves the development of clear timeframes, deliverables and milestones.

It should state who is accountable for different phases and activities of the evaluation and include risk management strategies and flexibility to deal with unforeseen events without compromising the timeframe or methodology.

The following is taken from Step 6. Manage development of the evaluation work plan including logistics in the Manager's Guide:

What should the evaluation work plan contain?

The evaluation work plan is a written document that specifies the evaluation design and details the practices and procedures to use in conducting the evaluation including:

  • The evaluation framework –the project/program objectives and theory of change or logic model, the evaluation questions, the evaluation context (such as aspects of the organization, staff, participants etc. which may affect the evaluation) and time frame;
  • The evaluation design, methods and processes –types of information needed, data collection and analysis methods, compliance with ethical standards (including informed consent, confidentiality, etc.), quality assurance processes (such as training of data collectors, data cleaning etc.), compliance with reporting requirements, dissemination of evaluation findings and supporting use (in case of external evaluators, the latter tasks may be / may not be included in their responsibilities);
  • Who will do which tasks and when in the evaluation implementation;
  • Contingencies –how challenges in the evaluation implementation will be identified and addressed.

Estimates of time needed for pre-evaluation as well as evaluation activities should be realistic but need to incorporate some flexibility (or at least some openness to re-negotiation) to be able to deal with unanticipated challenges in the implementation of the evaluation.

For more information on how to develop a work plan, visit: The Manager's Guide - Step 6. Manage development of the evaluation work plan including logistics

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'Evaluation work plan' is referenced in: