Evaluation Purpose – Step 4

Section 1:

Evaluation Purpose and Partners

Section 2:

Describing the Intervention

Section 3:

Evaluation Design

Section 4:

Methodology and Data Collection

Section 5:

Data Analysis

Section 6:

Reporting and Dissemination

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 4: Determine evaluation audiences and the relevance of the evaluation to these audiences

Who will use the evaluation findings?

Your audiences represent the same interest groups as your partners from Step 1, including funders, decision-makers, advocates, implementers, evaluators, and members of the population of interest.

Examples of how findings will be used

Reflect on findings from a formative evaluation to work with your partners to develop or refine intervention approaches.

Identify ways you and your partners may use findings from a process evaluation to improve the delivery of the intervention.

Consider how funders and decision-makers may use the results of your impact and outcome evaluation to assess the return on their investment or their allocation of funds.

Examples of how findings will be used

Most audiences will be interested in the results of an impact and outcome evaluation to determine the “value” of the pedestrian safety intervention strategies for reducing pedestrian injuries and fatalities, as well as improving health and quality of life.

View The Resource Table
Research and evaluation partners:
Assess the effectiveness of pedestrian safety action plans and educational and promotional intervention approaches on improvements to a range of short-term, intermediate, and long-term impacts and outcomes.
Use reliable and valid quantitative tools and measures, as well as a rigorous study design and execution to ensure confidence in the findings from the evaluation.
Policymakers and practitioners:
Identify the intervention approaches with the greatest impact, relevance, feasibility, and sustainability (RE-AIM framework) by assessing what works, where it works, when it works, how it works, why it works (or why not), and how much it costs. Specifically, policymakers often seek evidence that their constituents are being served and stories illustrating positive examples of change in the areas they are elected to serve.
Incorporate mixed-methods (which combine quantitative and qualitative data) and ensure that the data is representative of the population of interest and corresponding sub-populations to ensure confidence in the findings from the evaluation.
Advocates and community leaders:
Determine the practical implications of findings from the use of different intervention approaches to inform state or local decision-making, highlight state or local successes, and secure more funding to sustain the changes over time.
Track intended and unintended results, practical considerations (resources, costs), assets used, and challenges encountered using simple, efficient measures serving multiple purposes (advocacy, marketing, cost-benefit analysis) that are easily translated to the interests of local audiences (decision-makers, business owners).

These interests are not mutually exclusive, yet it can sometimes be difficult to meet the needs of all partners. Therefore, it is important to be clear about what your evaluation will or will not accomplish.

Revisit the list of your partners’ interests and concerns related to pedestrian safety from Step 1 for additional potential uses of the evaluation findings.

Next: Continue to Step 5
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