Program Plan Evaluation: A Participatory Approach to Bridge Plan Evaluation and Program Evaluation

Most program evaluation efforts concentrate on assessments of program implementation and program outcomes. However, another area of programs that has not received sufficient attention in the literature is evaluating the plan of the program. Since the quality of the plan and planning process can influence program implementation and outcomes, there is a need to expand program evaluation efforts to cover program plans, and thus bridge plan evaluation and program evaluation. This paper utilizes the program evaluation literature to illustrate two approaches to participatory program plan evaluation— ex-ante or proactive and ex-post or reactive—including a conceptual framework that identifies the requirements, barriers, and strategies for evaluating program plans. Concrete examples are provided to illustrate the application of these two approaches.