These will be designed to measure the knowledge and skills gained as a result of the training they received. Questions also will be included to assess training content, staff performance, and institute organization. An assessment of the adequacy of the training will be included as part of the follow-up discussions held approximately four months following completion of the information interpretation institute. Program evaluations frequently distinguish between end outcomes and intermediate outcomes. End outcomes are broader outcomes that the program is attempting to affect, but which it alone cannot accomplish.
Intermediate outcomes are the impacts that directly result from the activities of a program.
Public safety officials have, as a goal, the end outcomes of preventing the loss of life and property. It is extremely difficult and sometimes impossible to establish a causal relationship between use of the environmental information and ultimate impacts. It can be argued that without the warnings the probability is greater for loss of life or property and that the warnings contribute to conditions that would more likely lead to the goal of saving lives and protecting property. They reflect incremental progress toward broader or longer term outcomes and measure results or impacts more directly related to project activities. The group discussions will be held approximately every four months following completion of the information interpretation institute.