A Primer on Evaluation in the Government of Canada

One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.
    - Milton Friedman

Delta Partners is pleased to present our newest eBook Evaluation - A Primer on Evaluation in the Government of Canada.

With the Policy on Evaluation deadline to evaluate all direct program spending once every five years fast approaching, and with the increased focus on fiscal restraint and scrutiny of spending throughout the Government of Canada, evaluation is becoming an increasingly important tool to help inform decisions on resource allocation, managing for results, and continuous improvement.

Given the increased profile of evaluation and our firm’s experience in the field, Delta Partners undertook to write this eBook to share our knowledge and offer a comprehensive primer on how evaluation functions within the Government of Canada. The development of the eBook was a collaborative effort between Debra Sunohara, Director of Client Services, and Christian Bertoli, with contributions from Alcide Degagné, Greg Trickleback, and Geoff Schaadt.

Evaluation Basics

As the title suggests, this eBook provides a primer for those who may have little knowledge about evaluation. However, we also believe that it offers a “refresher” of some long-forgotten fundamentals for those who may be seasoned practitioners in the field.  And, regardless of your experience, this should serve as a good reference document for anyone interested in the practice of evaluation.

In the eBook you will find information on:

• What is Evaluation? Why Evaluate? What Gets Evaluated in the Government of Canada?
• Different types of Evaluation.
• The Government of Canada Evaluation Policy Suite.
• Roles and Responsibilities of Key Players involved in the Evaluation.
• The Evaluation Cycle.
• Core Elements of an Evaluation Report.

Tools for Managers

While the eBook provides good coverage of the basics, it also offers valuable information and tools for managers to help improve the performance and success of evaluation projects. We have compiled a list of 11 Critical Success Factors that we believe, if applied, can increase the likelihood that evaluation projects will achieve their intended results. The eBook also contains an Evaluation Capacity Check Questionnaire to help assess the “health” of your department or agency’s evaluation function, and a step-by step guide for developing Performance Management Strategies. 

Going Beyond the Printed Page

While the eBook contains a good overview of evaluation, we understand that some readers will want more information on the subject. For those who want to learn more, we have embedded hyper-text links throughout the document that will transport you to sources cited. In addition, we have included links to several electronic resources including Delta Partners’ blog posts on evaluation, other recommended evaluation blogs, and Government of Canada and international evaluation resources.

I hope that you enjoy the eBook, find the information useful, and make it a part of your reference library. And please, feel free to share this document widely with anyone who you think might find useful.

Click here to go to the download page.