# Presentation: 724493

## The Evaluation Matrix:   When & Where & Who & How

**Thomas Shuster, Ph.D.**
**Todd Braeger, M.S.**
**Spectrum Consulting / Safe Food Institute**
**1770 North Research Parkway**
**North Logan, Utah**
**(435-753-9333)**
** **

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## Some Definitions of Evaluation

- Research or measurement
- Extent that objectives are attained
- Evaluation as professional judgment
- Auditing or quality control
- Collecting information for decision-makers

## Our Definition of Evaluation

- Judging the worth or merit of something

## Objectives for Presentation

- Give a you tool to help you in your work.
- Give you an appreciation of the complex nature of effective evaluation and how it can help your projects.

## Research vs. Evaluation

- Both use the same tools
- Both use same methods
- Sometimes the questions are the same

## The Difference between R&E is the purpose......

- The purpose of research is to produce generalized knowledge based on inference from a sample to a population
- The purpose of evaluation is to judge the merit or worth of something

## Evaluation Answers Questions Like........

- Does it work?
- Does it do what we want it to?
- How well does it work?
- Does it work for the reasons we think it does?
- How much does it cost per benefit gained?
- Does it have side effects?

- Evaluation requires good, clear thinking because sometimes (often?) the real world fools us!

## Examples....

- Anti-bacterial soap, cutting boards....
- Surveys and behavior....
- After-school programs....tutoring.....

## Evaluation is a complex task...

- Evaluation is not just pre-test / post-test comparisons of data.

## Properly Used Evaluation Can...

- Focus a project at the beginning
- Keep the project on track
- Make mid-course corrections
- Control costs by focusing resources
- Answer/discover critical questions
- Document success/avoid failure
- Bridge perceptions with data analysis
- Lead to more funding!

## Evaluative Questions

- Our evaluations start with questions.  These questions guide and focus the evaluation activities during the course of the project.

## Evaluation Matrix...

- A simple tool used for planning and conducting an evaluation.
- Simple yet Complex.....

## Kitchen Observation Study

**Overhead of Evaluation Matrix...**

## Grocery 101 Scenario....

**You be the evaluator!  How exciting!**

## Project Problems Will Arise.....

**How do you handle this as an evaluator......**
**Do nothing?**
**Do something differently?**
**Do something additionally?**
**       **

## Project Problem #1

**How do you handle this as an evaluator......**
**Grocery staff is not learning the information based on your data.**

## Project Problem #2

**How do you handle this as an evaluator......**
**New staff enjoys and learns, but experienced staff say they already know this but according to data they are committing violations....**

## Project Problem #3

**How do you handle this as an evaluator......**
**Grocery stores A and B are improving but C is not.**

## Reporting of Evaluation Results

** **

- Timely
- Clear and concise
- Useful
- Evaluative in nature....we make judgments and recommendations based on data
- Practical
- Meet requirements of funding agency

## Primetime Live Lessons...

- Focus your message
- Set the right tone
- Findings need to be scientifically defensible and open to review

## Other Issues in Evaluation

**When does evaluation team start?**
**Qualitative vs. Quantitative?**
**Cost of evaluation**