The first question is what impact evaluation is and why we conduct an impact evaluation, and the most important question is to finalize the impact evaluation method.
The most commonly utilized summative evaluation technique for measuring how well a project contributes to achieving the desired goal is impact evaluation. The impact evaluation approach determines the project’s effect by analyzing whether the project’s activities and tasks fit the project’s purpose and goal.
It evaluates the program’s overall efficacy and is a subset of evaluations that seek to demonstrate a link between a project’s intervention and the program’s impacts. Its primary goal is to establish a causal link between the intervention and the project’s outcome. In contrast to other assessment methodologies, the fundamental goal of impact evaluation is to establish a causal relationship between the change and the project intervention. The most successful strategy for resolving the attribution question is constructing a counterfactual to ascertain what would have happened without the intervention.
One of the key goals of impact evaluation is to decrease threats to internal validity, which limits the relationship between intervention and outcome, as well as external validity, which undermines our confidence in claiming that the evaluation result is generalizable to the population.
Impact evaluation Designs #
The Evaluation design combines the framework, approach, and methods to answer broad evaluation questions. The evaluation design usually delineates the overall approach and type of method and analysis protocol to be used. The evaluation design can be broadly classified into experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental. The most robust design for the evaluation is an experimental design, which provides a strong counterfactual to assess the attribution of the project intervention. The widespread impact evaluation designs are :
Experimental Design #
- Randomized Control Trail
Quasi-Experimental Design #
- Difference in Difference
- Propensity Score Matching
- Regression Discontinuity
- Instrumental Variable
- Interrupted Time Series Design
Alternative Designs #
- Comparative Case Study Design
- Synthetic control
- Contribution Analysis and Process Tracing
- Longitudinal Panel Design
- Outcome Harvesting
Impact evaluation Process #
The effect evaluation process begins with defining and comprehending the project’s intervention, which includes identifying the tasks, activities, or initiatives that require evaluation. Following comprehension of the intervention package, the ToC and logic model must be finalized to determine the causal linkage. Once the causal link has been established, finalizing the impact evaluation’s scope, purpose, and design is critical. Impact evaluation is carried out by established SOPs based on the design and method proposed for the effect study. Furthermore, evaluators must guarantee that all evaluation findings and recommendations for future programs are conveyed to all project stakeholders. A comprehensive evaluation strategy could involve any or all of the following steps, depending on the nature of the problem to be solved:
- Understanding the Project and its Intervention
- Complete the Theory of Change (ToC) and Logic Model
- Determine the evaluation’s purpose
- Determining the evaluation question
- Choosing an evaluation strategy and the best design and method possible
- Evaluation execution
- Evaluation report
- Results and findings dissemination
While these stages are frequently included in the planning process, each necessitates a thorough assessment. Managers must be proficient in identifying and listing impact evaluation difficulties and selecting the optimal option during planning. Impact evaluations aim to improve program efforts and maximize effectiveness and efficiency to achieve the intended result. To that end, the impact evaluation gives feedback to all stakeholders to aid in decision-making.
