A Theoretical Framework and Grid for Analysis of Programme-evaluation Practices

This article proposes a theoretical framework and a grid to unify models and to describe programme evaluation. It identifies three components in the evaluation process: the information-collecting process; the value-judgement product; and the use of the latter in decision making. It defines three differentiation axes (or dimensions): the social enunciation, the external or internal position of actors, and the formal or informal character of the evaluation components. The relevance for the practitioner and the researcher is discussed and briefly illustrated with two examples from the health promotion sector: a project selection process and a retrospective study of programme-evaluation practices