What are the characteristics of good evaluation questions?

Good evaluation questions are essential for guiding the evaluation process effectively and ensuring that the information gathered will be meaningful and useful. The characteristics of clear, focused, relevant, and answerable questions align perfectly with best practices in evaluation.

Having questions that are clear eliminates confusion and ensures that everyone involved understands the intended inquiry. This clarity also helps stakeholders grasp the evaluation's goal. Focused questions are crucial because they help narrow the scope of the evaluation, making it easier to gather specific data and draw relevant conclusions. Relevance ensures that the questions being asked directly pertain to the objectives of the evaluation, thus maximizing the insights that can be garnered. Finally, questions that can be answered with available data are vital because they ensure that the evaluation can be conducted within the limits of available resources, leading to viable and actionable insights.

This set of characteristics ensures that the evaluation is not only meaningful but also practical, enabling effective decision-making based on the findings.