“The mode in which the inevitable comes to pass is through effort.”
— Oliver Wendell Holmes

Interpret the Data

You have collected, organized, and carefully analyzed the data. Now it’s time to sort out what it all means, to draw conclusions from the analyzed data. What do the data tell you? Have your evaluation questions about your program been answered?

Here are some ways to find out.1
     
  1. Attempt to put the information in perspective. To reveal the impact of your results, compare them to:
     
    • What you expected or the promised results
    • Common standards for your products or services
    • The original goals of your program
    • Descriptions of the program’s experiences, strengths, weaknesses, etc. (especially if you’re conducting a process evaluation)
    • Indications or measures you included in your logic model as ways to determine if you were accomplishing your outcomes or results (especially if you’re conducting an outcome evaluation)
       
  2. Consider how the results can be formulated into recommendations to help staff improve the program, product or service.
     
  3. Formulate some conclusions about program operations, or whether program goals were met, and use the evaluation data to support them.
     
  4. Record conclusions and recommendations in a report, and use the evaluation data to justify these conclusions or recommendations.

Tip: Include key stakeholders in the stages of this process by reviewing findings and preliminary conclusions with them prior to writing a formal report. This way you gain buy-in for the approach you are taking, and provide those waiting for a report of the findings with a preliminary look at the data. This reassures them that the analysis is progressing and gives them an opportunity to offer feedback. Discussions with staff can also provide new perspectives on the meaning and interpretation of the findings. These perspectives can then be included in the final report.2

Return to Analysis Plan

--------------- 
1. Source: McNamara, C. (1999). Analyzing, interpreting and reporting basic research results. Retrieved July 21, 2004 from The Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits web site: http://www.mapnp.org/library/research/analyze.htm

2. Source: Center for Program Evaluation. (n.d.). Reporting and using evaluation results: Reviewing evaluation findings with stakeholders. Retrieved July 21, 2004 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Center for Program Evaluation web site.
 
Search TTAC