What is Impact Evaluation?

Posted by Noah Oliver on May 13th, 2019

Impact Evaluation is a process that looks at more than immediate results to long-term effects. For instance, if you have a program, then doing an impact Evaluation will not just examine the program’s immediate effects on behavior but will go further to see if the positive effects are sustained over time, Science Direct says.

When are the benefits?

Impact evaluations are often used to determine the effectiveness of a program. These can identify general behaviors consistent throughout different settings and times. That kind of data can influence policies in many contexts, Urban Wire says. Knowing how and why people responded the way they did can inform future plans and correct any errors or misconceptions in judgment.

What are the challenges?

While impact evaluations help you discover if a particular program works or not, there are a few caveats. The process doesn't necessarily pinpoint which elements or mechanisms contributed to the success of the program. It can only tell you if it was successful or not. That’s one of the reasons why impact evaluations must be conducted with process evaluations too. That way, you can gain the insight you need. Also, knowledge of local behaviors is also necessary. That’s going to provide you with a basis for gauging whether the mechanisms will match or not.

Is it the right approach for you?
Keep in mind that not all programs require impact or process evaluations. This is true for cases where there is already a lot of evidence to support the usefulness and effectiveness of a given program. However, it can be done if existing programs are already out of touch with the times and may need changes to ensure its continued effectiveness in the future. Also, the evaluation and study of results on behavior over time can uncover surprising and even counterintuitive results, contrary to what the initial data about the program may suggest. There have been many times in the past wherein programs that start as promising or that seemed to have a lot of potential turned out to have detrimental effects on behavior. That is what impact evaluations can do.

Why you need impact evaluation?

The process answers several questions: will this program work? What kind of effects will it have in the long term? What will be the intended and unintended effect? Once you know the answers, you’ll see if it’s worth investing time, effort, and money into the program. You can also make changes to improve the outcome. With the evaluation, you can keep from wasting any of your resources into programs that aren’t going to provide you with the outcomes you want.

How do you get help?

This can be applied to a number of sectors and areas. If you think this approach is going to benefit you, then seek out assistance. Look for an expert to carry out the evaluation for you. Find someone with years of experience in the field. With professional help, you can get the data you need to make smarter decisions and improve any of your existing programs.