Your Evaluation Plan

Registration

 
At registration, you should collect basic information about the participants. You should also include the fruit and vegetable or physical activity staging question. (See "Applying the Stages of Change" in the "Step by Step" section.) This information identifies the participant's level of interest in eating fruits and vegetables or being physically active. These answers serve two purposes. First, they tell you where the majority of your participants are so you can tailor programs to their level of interest. Second, by asking the stages of change question on the Registration Form at the beginning of the program as well as on the evaluation form at the end of the program, the Program Coordinator and Team Captains will be able to determine if participants moved to a higher stage over the 10-week time period that Take Action! was implemented. An analysis of these answers will help to determine the effectiveness of the program.

During the Program

 
During the program, you should collect information about the workshops and activities you offer. You should track basic information such as how many people attended each session. You should also ask participants to evaluate the sessions by giving them short surveys to fill out. Ask them how useful the program was, as well as questions about whether the time of day and the length of the program were convenient for them. This information can help you plan future workshops.

Final Evaluation

At the end of the program, ask participants the staging question again. Their answers will allow you to see if people moved from one stage of change to the next. Movement to higher stages indicates that the program was successful. You should also determine if people reached their final goals. Other questions to ask include:
  • How satisfied were they with the program?
  • What did they like about the program?
  • What did they dislike about the program?
  • What helped them to reach their goals?
  • What got in the way of reaching their goals?
  • How can the program be improved?

Evaluations by Team Captains

It is important to evaluate the Team Captains' experiences with the program. This step can help you improve the Team Captain training, materials, and communications systems. Ask questions regarding:
  • Their satisfaction with being the Team Captain
  • How much time they spent on the program
  • What helped them to be successful
  • What stood in their way of being successful
  • Ways to improve the program

Data Collection

The Planning Committee should decide early on how it will collect data from the participants. If the company is not very big, participants can submit their information directly to the Program Coordinator. In a large company, the participants can submit their information to their Team Captains. The Team Captains can then provide a summary to the coordinator. (See Summary Report Form in the "Team Captain Materials" section.) Whatever system is developed, it should minimize the paperwork participants, Team Captains, and committee members have to deal with. Too many evaluation questions or forms can be a barrier to participation.

We Collected Data. Now What?

Evaluation of Take Action! has three important functions. You can use the results of the evaluation to:

  • Make improvements to the program
  • Promote future programs
  • Increase management support

A Note about Forms

This kit provides forms that can be used to evaluate your program. If you decide to add your own questions, or develop your own forms, keep these points in mind:

  • Keep your questions and the forms short and simple.
  • Avoid asking questions that will not give you useful information.
  • Make sure directions are clear and easy to understand.
  • Avoid asking personal questions.
  • Keep responses confidential.
  • Do not ask participants about program features that you cannot deliver. For example, do not ask participants if they would be more active if the office had a swimming pool, unless it is feasible to offer one at your worksite.

©2005 California State Department of Health Services

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