What is Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement?

In its broadest definition, program evaluation and performance measurement is a systematic way to learn from past experiences. A focused assessment can identify the facts from experiences that have occurred. While Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement are systematic, they do not need to be elaborate or costly. The information that has been assessed through lessons learned can then be applied to accomplish the intended or desired goal.

Imagine you just bought a new car - your pride and joy. Both the salesman andthe owner's manual indicate your car should get 30 miles per gallon of gas. Well it's been six months, and you've kept meticulous records. You notice your car has only managed to get 20 miles a gallon. What do you do? Well, you take the car back to the dealership and ask the mechanic to take a look to find out why the car is not meeting the specified performance standard. On a broader scale, this scenario is an analogy of the relationship between performance measurement (gas mileage records) and program evaluation (the mechanic's diagnosis) as applied to our environmental programs.

There are several drivers of Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement . The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) and the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART), requires the measurement and reporting of program results, outcomes and performance to emphasize the use of program evaluation to determine if the programs are effective and achieving the strategic and annual goal.

In its broadest definition, Program Evaluation is a systematic way to learn from past experience by assessing how well a program is working. A focused program evaluation will examine specifically identified factors of a program in a more comprehensive way than from experience that occurs day-to-day. Performance Measurement is an ongoing monitoring and reporting of program accomplishments, against progress towards pre-established goals. Both Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement can help identify areas of programs that need improvement, and whether the program or project is achieving its goals and objectives and the reason why.

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) and OPEI prepared a brief paper entitled, "What is Program Evaluation?", which explains what program evaluation is, what it is not, and answers some additional questions about program evaluation.

Additionally, OCFO has a Performance Measurement page that provides helpful resources and links for developing and using goals and measures to support results-based management.

The General Accounting Office (GAO) has developed a document that provides definitions and explains the relationship between Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement. GAO: Performance Measurement and Evaluation (1998);

The GAO, which performs evaluations of various programs throughout the federal government, defines program evaluation as:

"A systematic study conducted to assess how well a program is working.typically focused on achievement of program objectives."

What is Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement?

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