Step 1: Engage Stakeholders

Step 1 of program evaluation is to engage stakeholders. The Physical Activity Evaluation Handbook defines stakeholders as "people with a vested interest in a program and the future use of its evaluation."* It suggests that stakeholders can be broken down into four categories*:

Implementers: those involved in program operations
Partners: those who actively support the program
Participants: those served or affected by the program
Decision makers: those in a position to do or decide something about the program

If you've followed the social marketing process thus far, you should have a good idea of who your stakeholders are. As you embark on developing your evaluation plan, you should probably choose a subset of them to help with the evaluation plan. Think about who will use the results of your evaluation to make decisions about the program.*

*From Physical Activity Evaluation Handbook, p. 9

Tip

Only ask for feedback about pieces of the intervention or program that you are able and willing to change.