Policy evaluation involves the systematic collection and analysis of information to make judgments about the outcomes and impacts of policies. There are several types of policy evaluation, including process evaluation, outcome evaluation, impact evaluation, and cost-benefit analysis. The main objectives of policy evaluation are to provide credible information for decision makers and identify ways to achieve more of the desired results. Policy evaluations can be conducted internally by evaluators within the organization or externally by independent evaluators from outside the organization. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages such as potential bias, expertise, costs, and perceptions of objectivity.

1. Public
Policy
Evaluation
By: MHRCastillo
MPA 625 - Public Policy and Program Administration

2. Definition
Policy Evaluation
the systematic collection and analysis of information to make
judgments about contexts, activities, characteristics, or outcomes of
one or more domain(s) of the Policy Process
may inform and improve policy development, adoption,
implementation, and effectiveness, and builds the evidence base
for policy interventions
can be better defined as a process by which general judgments
about quality, goal attainment, program effectiveness, impact,
and costs can be determined

3. Policy Evaluation
Objective
-To provide credible information for decision
makers
-To identify ways to achieve more of the desired
result

4. to determine whether an implemented program is
doing what it is supposed to
Policy Evaluation
Purpose
to determine whether a policy's effects are intended
or unintended and whether the results are positive or
negative for the target population and society as a
whole

5. Outcome Evaluation
Types of Policy Evaluation
Process Evaluation
Cost-benefit Evaluation
Impact Evaluation

6. Process Evaluation
As its name implies this
type of evaluation analyzes
how well a policy or
program is being
administered.
Determine why a program or policy is performing at current levels.
Identify any problems.
Develop solutions to the problems.
Improve program performance by recommending how solutions should
be implemented and evaluated once carried out.
1.
2.
3.
4.

7. Outcome
Evaluation
Legislative Intent
Program goals
Program elements and
indicators
Measures of indicators
-outcomes are normally
considered to be the impact that
a policy has on a target
population, for example, did the
policy produce the desired
behavioral change initially
sought?
Program outcomes
(positive or negative)

8. Impact Evaluation
This type of evaluation is what is
more commonly perceived as a
policy evaluation. The objective of
this type of evaluation is to
determine whether or not a given
public policy or program is in fact
achieving the intended impact as
visualized by the various policy
actors who either supported or
opposed the given policy
Theoretical goals of the
program or policy.
The actual goals.
Program or policy objectives.
Program or policy results and
whether they are intended or
unintended, positive or
negative, in effect.

9. the comparison of the costs
associated with a policy or program
to the benefits generated by the
policy
Cost
Benefit
Analysis
A method with which to evaluate and assess the
effectiveness of a policy's costs, benefits, and
outcomes

10. Essential
Activities
in the
Evaluation
Process
Identification of goals and
objectives of the program or
policy to make measurement
possible.
Comprehension of the mission
statement or noting the absence
of one
Construction of an analytic model of what
the program or policy is expected to
achieve; this includes a set of theoretical
propositions about means-ends
relationships.
Development of a research design
to distinguish program or policy
goals from what is actually
achieved.
Collection of data or actual
measurement.
Analysis and interpretation of data.

11. Internal Policy
Evaluators
internal evaluators tend to have
greater familiarity with the
organization itself
External Policy
Evaluators
perceived to be impartial because
evaluators supposedly have no stake
in the outcome of the evaluationyou
want to discuss.
Internal and
External Policy
Evaluators

12. Advantages
Low cost
evaluators have
greater familiarity
Bias
Doesn't require
collaboration
Lack of expertise
Perceived lack of
objectivity
Lack of "outside the box"
thinking
Internal
Policy
Evaluation
Disadvantages
Potentially conflicting
roles

13. Advantages
minimization of
bias
Conducted by
experts
Perceived
objectivity
Outside-the-box
perspective
Expensive
Requires
collaboration
Requires more
time
External
Policy
Evaluation
Disadvantages
Possibly complex
process

14. References
https://www.cdc.gov/policy/analysis/process/evaluation.html#:~:text=Policy%20Evaluation%20
is%20the%20systematic,s)%20of%20the%20Policy%20Process.
https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/welcome/plsc490/lesson05_07.html
https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/89b1577d-en/index.html?itemId=/content/publication/89b1577d-en
https://harcdata.org/internal-vs-external-evaluation/
Theodoulou and Kofinis, 2004
https://www.social-impact-navigator.org/impact-analysis/prepare/who-evaluates/