Services to help you develop your evaluation plan.
Program evaluation
Program evaluation involves the systematic collection and analysis of information about a program using research methods. It seeks multiple sources of information as a means to improve program implementation and to understand program effectiveness.
Learn about the differences between research, quality improvement and evaluation.
We provide the following services for program evaluation:
- Developing a logic model for your program.
- Developing measurable objectives.
- Consultation for developing an evaluation plan for a specific program.
- Consultation for developing specific evaluation designs and data collection tools.
- Statistical analyses of evaluation data.
- Consultation for developing a contract with a third party evaluator.
For consultation, contact a research and implementation scientist.
Quality improvement
The purpose of QI projects is to improve internal processes, practices, costs or productivity for a specific intervention (i.e., determine how this intervention affected this participant group in this setting). Furthermore, QI is undertaken to assess an existing practice that is an approved procedure or that has been shown effective in the literature.
We provide services in the following areas:
- Develop measurable objectives to address the question at hand
- Design the methods for the QI project. This includes:
- Identifying pertinent measures
- Determine data collection timelines
- Calculation of sample
- Determine the sampling strategy
- Develop data dictionary and database design
- Analyses plan
- Conduct statistical analyses and interpretation of results. For consultation, contact a research and implementation scientist.
A Guide to Planning and Conducting Program Evaluation
Our Guide to Planning and Conducting Program Evaluation offers a comprehensive approach to the best practices in developing and conducting an evaluation.
This user-friendly guide includes evaluation checklists, templates and links to other resources. The Guide will help you to:
- Complete a useful and credible evaluation
- Develop a sound description of the program, including a program logic model
- Develop a feasible evaluation methodology
- Disseminate evaluation findings
- Develop recommendations
- Follow evaluation standards held by the Canadian Evaluation Society
Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE)
Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) is emerging as the dominant method for evaluating quantitative research (i.e. randomized controlled trials and observational research) and making recommendations for guideline development.
Adopted internationally by groups such as the World Health Organization, the United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and nationally by specialist groups such as the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology (CADTH), we recognize the need for process that will guide clinical decision support tool working groups in evaluating the quality of research evidence and grading the strength of the recommendation for a specific body of evidence.
We're launching a process to implement GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations system) to help achieve consistency and transparency in how research evidence is reviewed for the development of clinical decision support tools. The Clinical Policy Office working with our department in launching a process to implement GRADE to achieve consistency and transparency in how research evidence is reviewed for the development of clinical decision support tools.
Learn more about the GRADE working group.
To receive support in applying GRADE to evaluate the quality of evidence and make recommendations for guideline development, contact a research and implementation scientist.