evaluering

Evaluering is the systematic assessment of the design, implementation and outcomes of a program, policy, project or product, with the aim of judging merit, value or effectiveness and informing decisions. The term is used in several languages, including Dutch, Norwegian and Danish, and corresponds to the English word evaluation. Evaluations typically address questions of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability, and can serve accountability, learning and improvement purposes.

Evaluations can be formative or summative. Formative evaluations take place during development or implementation to improve the intervention, while summative evaluations assess results after completion. They can focus on processes (how a program was delivered), outcomes (what changed for participants), or broader impacts (longer-term effects). Evaluations may be internal, conducted by the organization itself, or external, carried out by independent researchers to enhance objectivity.

Methodologically, evaluering relies on explicit theories of change or logic models to specify how activities are expected to produce results. It uses predefined indicators, data collection from multiple sources, and both quantitative and qualitative methods. Triangulation, stakeholder involvement, and ethical considerations such as privacy and consent are common practices. The evaluation process typically includes framing the purpose, designing an evaluation plan, collecting and analyzing data, interpreting findings, and presenting actionable conclusions and recommendations.

In practice, evaluering is widely used in government, education, non-profit, and business sectors to inform policy decisions, improve programs, justify spending, and contribute to organizational learning. Challenges include attributing observed changes to the intervention, resource constraints, bias, and ensuring that findings lead to practical improvements and learning.