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Using practitioners' theories to document program results
Author(s) -
Wood Miriam M.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
nonprofit management and leadership
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.844
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1542-7854
pISSN - 1048-6682
DOI - 10.1002/nml.4130040107
Subject(s) - theory of change , context (archaeology) , psychology , public relations , knowledge management , computer science , process management , sociology , business , political science , paleontology , anthropology , biology
A form of self‐assessment, termed practitioner‐centered evaluation, is proposed for human services agencies. In contrast to assessment methods that may require an outside evaluator, this qualitative technique focuses on the informal theories of behavioral change that underlie a program‐as‐implemented. It takes into account interacting cause‐and‐effect relationships and relies on the ability of staff members to document success and failure in the context of their own theories. As a vehicle for identifying program elements that are effective in achieving behavioral change and other goals, practitioner‐centered evaluation can be the basis of franker, more productive conversations between funders and grantees and between staff members and their governing boards.