HSM 270
Abstract
The overall purpose of this paper is to compare program planning with program evaluation in a human service organization by describing how the two components are related. There will be examples of how program planning and evaluation interrelate with the PEACE Domestic Violence Agency scenario from Appendix B. We will also look at the technical and political aspects of program planning and evaluation that might encounter in the PEACE Domestic Violence Agency scenario, and how these aspects could affect the planning and evaluation process.
Program Planning & Program Evaluation; PEACE Domestic Violence Agency
According to Michael Quinn Patton, program evaluation is carefully collecting information about a program or some aspects of a program in order to make necessary decisions about the program. This evaluation process can include various activities, which are vital for deciding the critical success factors of a program, some of them are – needs assessments, accreditation, cost/benefit analysis, effectiveness study, goal-based analysis, process outcome analysis etc. All these analyses are aimed how accurately we can collect and understand the data related to our program. There are a number of parties who will use program evaluation report – core team, grant organization, other social groups for case study etc. There are also a number of benefits of a program evaluation, such as verification of impact of products and services on customers, improve the delivery mechanism, analyze by comparing what we are doing and what needs to be done, and facilitate management thought process and decision making ability.
Program evaluation is also connected to the need of the type of information, which is needed to be collected to aid managerial decision-making. Often the management is faced with some troublesome issues like decreased funding, ongoing customer complaints,