This book will guide the human services practitioner to effectively engage in the four phases of the process of program planning and evaluation: Clarififi cation: Identify the target population for a program, identify their priority needs, an
Planning and Evaluating Human Services Programs
A RESOURCES GUIDE FOR PRACTITIONERSBy Charles A. MaherAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2012 Dr. Charles A. Maher
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4685-6135-7Contents
Preface.....................................................................viiAcknowledgements............................................................ixChapter 1 Overview of the Resource Guide....................................1Chapter 2 Parameters of Program Planning and Evaluation.....................3Chapter 3 Clarification Phase...............................................7Chapter 4 Design Phase......................................................39Chapter 5 Implementation Phase..............................................71Chapter 6 Evaluation Phase..................................................91References and Resources....................................................123About the Author............................................................125
Chapter One
Overview of the Resource Guide
Human services programs exist in many forms and operate in diverse organizations in areas of business, industry, education, government, health care, and other sectors of society. This has been the case for many years; it is a reality at present and, no doubt will be so for years to come. Moreover, human services programs are targeted to a wide range of psychological and educational needs of people from infant, early childhood, adolescent, to adult age groups.
While human service programs are different and diverse in terms of people served, important needs of these populations, and relevant contextual factors, a common core of principles and procedures can be applied across program types, situations, and settings. These principles and procedures can be applied by an individual practitioner, a work group, a multi-disciplinary team, or other configurations of professionals to increase the likelihood that valuable programs will be provided to human beings in need. Most fundamentally, though, these principles and procedures, which are covered thoroughly in this book, are part of the process of the program planning and evaluation, an important, albeit often overlooked, entity of professional practice—no matter what the disciplinary base of the practitioner.
The process of program planning and evaluation is, in essence, what this book is all about. The process is reflected by the gathering, analyzing, interpreting, and using of information so that evaluative judgments can be made about the worth or merit of a program (i.e., for program evaluation purposes). Relatedly, program relevant information can be used for deciding how to place a program in operation so that goals can be attained and needs met (i.e., for program planning purposes). With precise understanding of the process of program planning and evaluation, coupled with skill at application of its principles and procedures, the likelihood is increased that valuable programs will result for people in need.
This book is not a 'cookbook', nor a quick-fix document. Rather, it is a description of the program planning and evaluation process that I have developed over the years, along with the principles and procedures which structure the process. More specifically, the book literally provides guidelines for how to proceed to accomplish four separate, yet interrelated, program planning and evaluation tasks. These are:
1. Clarification of meaningful conditions having to do with program need, context, and the target population to be served.
2. Design of a program, based on the clarification information.
3. Implementation of the program according to its design, with necessary changes made, based on accurate information.
4. Evaluation of the worth or merit of the program as a basis for continuous improvement.
As a result of a thorough understanding of the material contained in this book, you will be able to do the following as a human services practitioner: (a) personally influence the process of program planning and evaluation; (b) recognize variations in the process that have controllable causes so that you can make necessary adjustments; (c) decide what principles and procedures to apply and when to do so; and (d) specify particular methods, techniques, and instrument that can be developed or selected to accomplish the above- mentioned tasks of program planning and evaluation. Your use of the information in this book will not be a straight-forward, linear event. Rather, it is likely to result in some personal frustration, conceptual ambiguity, mastering programmatic thinking, continuous personal improvement, satisfaction from learning a valuable technology for helping others to work toward worthwhile human services programs, and enjoyment.
Best wishes on the journey.
Chapter Two
Parameters of Program Planning and Evaluation
Table 2.1 is a visual portrayal of the Systems Framework for Program Planning and Evaluation. With a sound, thorough understanding of the framework and its consistent concepts, the likelihood is increased that you will facilitate the provision of valuable programs and services to target populations of people in need and to your professional clients who serve those people.
The Systems Framework for Program Planning and Evaluation (Table 2.1) rests on the notion of a program as seen in its broadest sense, as a configuration of resources—human, technological, informational, financial, temporal, and physical—organized to add value to an individual, group, or organization. In this regard, value-added programs are provided through control and influence of the process of program planning and evaluation, which involves the application of its principles and procedures.
Constituent Concepts of the Systems Framework
The Systems Framework for Program Planning and Evaluation (Table 2.1 matrix) consists of three constituent concepts. These are:
1. Program Level—this is the vertical dimension of the matrix, where three such levels have been delineated (Organizational, Group, Individual).
2. Planning and Evaluation Process—this is the horizontal dimension of the matrix, where four phases of the process have been identified (Clarification, Design, Implementation, Evaluation).
3. Planning and Evaluation Technology—this is represented as the intersection of the vertical dimension and horizontal dimension of the matrix that forms 12 cells. Within each cell, depending on the program level and type, particular methods, instruments and procedures are used.
Each constituent concept is discussed further below.
Program Level
A program is a configuration of resources, organized to add value to an individual, group, or organization. The kinds of resources that are organized are the same for any level of program, although the quantity (volume) of resources will differ by level. The resources for any individual, group, or organizational program will include some combination of the following:
• Human Resources—people who are involved in the program as participants; program implementers; administrators; supervisors; consultants; other stakeholders.
• Technological-—methods used by implementers and participants to facilitate goal attainment; materials such as books, worksheets, and software; equipment; activities; manuals; procedures, etc.
• Informational Resources—information to guide and direct a program's human resources including policies, philosophy, mission statement, goals, goal indicators, etc.
• Financial Resources—currencies (e.g., dollars) that are considered necessary to support program design and implementation including funds procured through local stakeholders, external public agencies, and private sources.
• Temporal Resources—amount of time that is available, or that might reasonably be made available, for the program to be designed and implemented.
• Physical Resources—facilities wherein the program can be implemented. parameters of program planning and evaluation
A human services program can be said to be worthwhile, or meritorious, when it can be documented, in a technically justifiable way (reliable, valid), that value has been added to the target population, following program implementation. In this regard, program value has to do with two separate, albeit interrelated conditions: (a) positive growth and development of the target population in such domains as cognitive development, affective functioning, and psychomotor proficiency; and (b) associated positive change in target population accomplishments (e.g., enhanced productive quality; effective instruction; societal contribution).
As seen in Table 2.1, programs exist at various levels. In this regard, it has been found useful at the level of professional practice to delineate programs at three particular levels, as follows:
• Organizational Program Level—programs at this level typically encompass all members of an organization (e.g., all company employees; all high school students; all government workers). As such, these programs are broad in scope and typically focus on dissemination of information and not skills training.
• Group Program Level—programs at this level focus on a well-defined group of people (target population) with a particular set of needs, but not all organizational members. As such, these programs are likely to be customized with emphasis on skills training in addition to information dissemination.
• Individual Program Level—programs at this level are designed for one person, and as such, are not totally similar to any program provided to any other person.
For all programs at all levels to be provided to a target population, however, the program can benefit from a sound program design, that is based on a well understood and clarified situation, that is implemented according to design, and that is evaluated routinely and in a technically defensible manner. This state of affairs can happen through personal control of the process of program planning and evaluation, the second constituent concept of the Systems Framework (Table 2.1).
Planning and Evaluation Process
Table 2.1 delineates the four phases and important constituent activities of the process of planning and evaluation of a program, seen as the horizontal dimension of the matrix. In this regard, planning means the using of evaluation information for program improvement. Relatedly, evaluating denotes gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evaluation information, as a basis for program planning. Furthermore, revising refers to purposeful and routine activity that occurs throughout the planning and evaluation process.
The four phases of the process of program planning and evaluation are separate, yet they interrelate, in that these phases depend on one another, for successful application and control. More specifically, each phase also represents a process, in and of itself, that can be controlled and that includes activities that likewise are interrelated and dependent on one another. As such, the overall planning and evaluation process, and its phases and activities, can be termed as interactive and reflexive. Moreover, the process of program planning and evaluation can be controlled by one person such as a professional services provider acting directly and independently, or the process can be controlled in a collaborative way such as by a work group or team.
The phases and activities of the process are:
1. 0 CLARIFICATION PHASE
1.1 Specify the target population 1.2 Determine needs of the target population 1.3 Delineate the relevant context
2.0 DESIGN PHASE
2.1 Describe program purpose and goals 2.2 Consider program design alternatives 2.3 Develop the program 2.4 Document the program design
3.0 IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
3.1 Review the program design 3.2 Facilitate program implementation 3.3 Monitor program process
4.0 EVALUATION PHASE
4.1 Obtain program reactions 4.2 Measure learning associated with the program 4.3 Identify applications resulting from the program 4.4 Judge program benefits and value
Each phase and its activities will be discussed thoroughly in subsequent sections of this book.
Planning and Evaluation Technology
The 12 cells of the matrix of the Systems Framework (Table 2.1) represent this third constituent concept. In this regard, planning and evaluation technology is the overarching term used to encompass particular methods, procedures, and instruments for program planning and evaluation. This technology is used for all activities of all phases of the process. However, although the process is the same at all program levels, the methods, procedures, and instruments will be different.
Thus, with respect to Clarification technology, particular methods, procedures, and instruments will be used for the activities of that phase (Table 2.1 matrix cells 1, 5, 9); Design technology with matrix cells 2, 6, 10; Implementation technology with matrix cells 3, 7, 11; Evaluation technology with matrix cells 4, 8, 12. Methods, procedures, and instruments that comprise the technology of each phase of the process will be considered in all of the subsequent chapters of the book.
Chapter Three
Clarification Phase
In this chapter, the Clarification Phase is described in terms of its overarching purpose, constituent activities, technologies, and resulting products.
Purpose of the Clarification Phase
Without a clear understanding of a present situation that is of concern to a human services client and relevant to stakeholders, it is difficult, indeed impossible, to plan a program that adds value to an individual, group, or organization. Lack of clarity about a presenting situation – particularly about a target population, its needs, and relevant context within which those needs are embedded – fosters limited perspectives on how to add value in a programmatic way. Further, lack of clarity does not assure a controlled, predictable program planning and evaluation process. Alternatively, a well understood and clarified situation, especially when validated empirically, helps foster focused perspectives on how to add value and contributes to the program planning and evaluation process.
The Clarification Phase is the first of four major phases of the program planning and evaluation process. The purpose of this phase is to clarify the current situation that is of concern to the client and perhaps other stakeholders. This purpose is realized through a series of sequential, interrelated activities by which a program planning and evaluation consultant, or consultant team, gathers, analyzes, and interprets information. This resulting information allows sound (reliable, valid) understanding and agreement about a target population to be served, the needs of the target population that may be addressed by means of a program, and the relevant context within which those needs are embedded. As a result of appropriate use of these activities and technologies that pertain to these activities, a Clarification Report can be generated by the consultant for use by the client and others. As will be discussed subsequently, a Clarification Report is a conceptual and empirical base for making decisions having to do with how to design a program (Design Phase).
Overview of the Activities of the Clarification Phase
Based on the above purpose, there are three major activities of the Clarification Phase. These activities are described as follows:
1.1 Specify the target population that may be a candidate for a well-designed human service program.
1.2 Determine needs of the target population that may be addressed by a human service program in that the needs are psychological and educational in nature and scope.
1.3 Delineate the relevant context, wherein needs of the target population are embedded, in order to enhance understanding of the readiness of the target population and the organization for a human service program.
The above three activities are sequential in that one must follow the other for a well understood and clarified situation to be documented. Further, these activities are interrelated in that the information generated from one activity serves to guide how to proceed with the next activity including the technologies (e.g., methods, techniques, instruments, procedures) to be used as part of the activity. Finally, the activities are reflexive in that changes in one activity and the resulting information may require re-routing to a previously completed activity.
In the next section of this chapter, the first activity of the Clarification Phase – Specify the Target Population – is discussed.
1.1 Specify the Target Population
Through this program planning and evaluation activity, a target population is specified that can be considered as a candidate for a human service program. In this regard, a target population is the individual (i.e., "n of 1" or population of 1), group, or organization (all people therein) for whom a program can be designed and implemented – if valid need exists and if the relevant context indicates readiness.
It is very important to specify the target population, for various reasons. These reasons include
• The number of people who may be in need of a program can be documented, thereby informing the client, others, and yourself as consultant about the possible scope of a program.
• Comparisons can be made about the target population's parameters (e.g., age, psychoeducational characteristics) in relation to relevant eligibility criteria for a program.
• Comparisons can be made between and among the target population with non-target populations, as a basis for deciding whether reasonable and appropriate comparisons can be made for program evaluation purposes.
• When there is concern about eventual dissemination of a program to other populations and similarities and differences need to be considered in making the dissemination decision.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Planning and Evaluating Human Services Programsby Charles A. Maher Copyright © 2012 by Dr. Charles A. Maher. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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