What is usually the first step in program evaluation?

The first step in program evaluation is typically to develop evaluation questions. This step is crucial because these questions guide the entire evaluation process. By clearly defining what you want to learn through the evaluation, you establish the framework for how the evaluation will be conducted, what data will be collected, and what metrics will be considered relevant and necessary for assessing the program's effectiveness.

Developing evaluation questions involves engaging with stakeholders to understand their interests and the program's goals. This collaborative approach ensures that the questions address the most pertinent aspects of the program and can lead to actionable insights after the evaluation is completed.

In contrast, identifying stakeholders, collecting baseline data, and drafting a final report are important steps in the evaluation process as well, but they come after the evaluation questions have been formulated. Identifying stakeholders is integral to the planning phase, but it should be informed by the evaluation questions. Collecting baseline data is essential for measuring progress, but you need to know what you are measuring against before gathering that data. Drafting a final report is the concluding part of the evaluation process, summarizing findings based on the developed questions and analysis of the data collected.

Thus, developing evaluation questions serves as the foundational step that shapes and drives the entire evaluation framework.