Everyone wants to do this. And everyone in the evaluation business has something to say about how to do it. So why not us too!

We believe the evaluation of results is less complicated than organizations make it. Of course, we know from experience that often evaluating our work is made cumbersome by funders and regulators, but for now let's pretend they are not in the mix.

Here is how we approach the evaluation of results. We start with some simple questions.

1. What are you trying to accomplish for which people?
2. What are the measures that guide your work with these people?
3. What is the current benchmark of each of those measures?
4. What are your goals about surpassing the benchmark over what period of time?
5. What will indicate progress toward your goals?
6. What will you do to achieve the goals (strategies and actions) over what period of time?

Example: Answering the questions

To offer some clarity, let's answer the questions above for a neighborhood-based employment program.

1. What are you trying to accomplish for which people?

We are trying to help unemployed people in the neighborhood find and keep decent jobs.

2. What are the measures that guide your work with these people?

The primary measures that will guide our work are the rate of employment in the neighborhood, the average and mean incomes of the neigborhood's employed adults, and the average length of employment of the workforce.

3. What is the current benchmark of each of those measures?

Ok. Remember, we are making these numbers up. Currently, only 66% of adults in the neighborhood who want full time work have full time work. The average family income of current full-time workers is: $25,000. The average length of full-time employment is 14 months.

4. What are your goals about surpassing the benchmark over what period of time?

Our goals are to achieve 85% employment (full-time), average family income of $32,000, and average length of employment of 30 month by 2012.

5. What will indicate progress toward your goals?

Progress indicators include: numbers of adults returning to school for their high school diploma, and numbers of adults in employment training programs.

6. What will you do to achieve the goals (strategies and actions) over what period of time?

Here is where you develop your plans to achieve your answers to the previous five questions.

Yes, we know, life is more complicated than this. But our six questions can help get you started on the right course of becoming more results focused and being able to measure what you do.