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Tools and analyses
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
| A (Top) | |
| Analytical method | |
| B (Top) | |
| Baseline | Best practice |
| Benchmark | |
| C (Top) | |
| Content analysis | Control group |
| Cost-benefit analysis | |
| D (Top) | |
| Data | Data collection tool |
| Data collection method | Data source |
| F (Top) | |
| Focus group | |
| I (Top) | |
| Implementation rate | Interim performance measure |
| Indicator of achievement | |
| M (Top) | |
| Methodology | Methodology form |
| P (Top) | |
| Proxy indicator | |
| Q (Top) | |
| Qualitative data | Quantitative data |
| R (Top) | |
| Rating system | Result |
| Relevance | Revised baseline |
| Reliability | Revised target |
| S (Top) | |
| Sample | Synthesis |
| Survey | |
| T (Top) | |
| Triangulation | |
| U (Top) | |
| Universe | |
Analytical method (Back / Top)
A means to process, understand and interpret data.
See also: “Data collection tool”
Baseline (Back / Top)
Data that describe the situation to be addressed by a programme, subprogramme or project and that serve as the starting point for measuring performance. A baseline study would be the analysis describing the situation prior to the commencement of the programme or project or the situation following initial commencement of the programme or project to serve as a basis of comparison and progress for future analyses. It is used to determine the accomplishments/results and serves as an important reference for evaluation.
See also: “Target”
Benchmark (Back / Top)
Reference point or standard against which performance or achievement can be assessed. A benchmark often refers to an intermediate target to measure progress within a given period as well as to the performance of other comparable organizational entities.
See also: “Interim performance measures”
Planning, organization, managerial and/or operational practices that have proven successful in particular circumstances and which can have both specific and/ universal applicability. Best practices are used to demonstrate what works most effectively and to accumulate and apply knowledge about how and why they work in different situations and contexts.
See also: “Learning”, “Lesson learned”
A systematic approach to analyzing themes in audio, visual, electronic or print communication. Selected material is reviewed and assessed on the basis of predetermined criteria (such as the reflection of key messages, accuracy, prominence, and reference to sponsoring organization).
See also: “Data”, “Data collection method”
A selected subgroup of beneficiaries who do not receive the same treatment, input or training, but share characteristics similar to the target group. Thus, differences between the control group and the target group can be measured and evaluated.
See also: “Target group”
A specialized analysis which converts all costs and benefits to common monetary terms and then assesses the ratio of results to inputs against other alternatives or against some established criteria of cost-benefit performance. It often involves the comparison of investment and operating costs with the direct and indirect benefits generated by the investment in a project or programme.
See also: “Cost-effectiveness”, “Efficiency”
Specific quantitative and qualitative information or facts that are collected.
See: “Data collection tool”, ”Data collection method”, “Data source”
The mode of collection to be used when gathering information and data on a given indicator of achievement or evaluation. Collection methods include the review of records, surveys, interviews, or content analysis. The term is one of the elements of the indicator methodology form for reporting through IMDIS.
See also: “IMDIS”, “Methodology form”
Instrument used to collect information for use in performance assessment, self-evaluation and external evaluation. Examples are mail, telephone, in-person and web-based surveys, direct or participatory observation, interviews, focus groups, expert opinion, case studies, literature search, and content analysis of internal and external records. The data collection tools must be strong enough to support the findings of the evaluation.
The origin of the data or information collected. Data sources may include informal and official records, individuals, documents, etc. This term is one of the elements of the indicator methodology form for reporting through IMDIS.
See also: “IMDIS”, “Methodology form”
A group of individuals having some common interest or characteristics, brought together by a moderator, who uses the group and its interaction as a way to gain information about a specific or focused issue.
See also: “Data collection method”, “Facilitator”
The degree to which planned outputs are completed during the biennium. In the biennial Programme Performance Reports, the output implementation rate is usually calculated in three different ways. The first calculation (I1) shows the percentage of mandated outputs (those initially programmed plus those carried forward plus those added by legislation) that were completed. The second calculation (I2) shows the rate of implementation of all outputs, which is the sum of mandated outputs plus those added by the Secretariat. It indicates how much of the overall workload of the biennium was accomplished. Finally, the third figure (I3) is the ratio of all outputs implemented by a particular programme (those programmed, carried over, reformulated and added by legislation and by the Secretariat) to the outputs programmed in the biennial budget. To understand the purpose of I3, it should be recalled that while budgetary resources were provided to deliver the outputs programmed in the biennial budget, developments during the biennium may have resulted in additions to the workload that had to be implemented within the available resources. The I3 implementation rate shows how much was delivered by a particular programme compared with what had been programmed at the outset of the biennium.
See also: “Output ”
Used to measure the extent to which expected accomplishments have been achieved. Indicators correspond to the expected accomplishment for which they are used to measure performance. One expected accomplishment can have multiple indicators.
See also: “Expected accomplishment”, “Performance management”, " Performance measure”
Data collected for the indicators of achievement during the biennium. They are used as benchmarks to determine whether progress is being made towards the intended results.
See also: “Performance measure”, “Baseline”, “Target”
A set of analytical methods and techniques appropriate for evaluation of the particular activity. It could also be aimed at collecting the best possible evidence needed to answer the evaluation issues and analytic questions.
See also: “Baseline”, “Benchmark”, “Data”, “Data collection tool”, “Indicator”, "Terms of reference"
A set of fields developed and incorporated into IMDIS for each indicator of achievement that allow subprogrammes and programmes to identify and document the elements of the indicator that will be measured during the biennium, identify data sources, determine data collection and verification methods, fix the periodicity of measurements, create or identify a presentation format and identify external factors that could distort or influence measurements. This should be done early in the biennium to ensure proper data collection and reporting of results.
See also: “IMDIS”
Proxy indicator is used when it is difficult to identify direct indicators to measure the result. Proxies are indicators that may tell us indirectly whether a result has been achieved.
See also: “Indicator of achievement”, “Causal relationship”, “Indicator”, “Data”
Information that is not easily captured in numerical form (although qualitative data can be quantified). Qualitative data typically consist of words and normally describe people's opinions, knowledge, attitudes or behaviours.
See also: “Data”
Information measured or measurable by, or concerned with, quantity and expressed in numerical form. Quantitative data typically consists of numbers.
See also: “Data”
Forming and validating a judgment on the relevance, performance and success of a programme or project through the use of a scale with numeric, alphabetic and/or descriptive codes.
See also: “Data”
The extent to which an activity, expected accomplishment or strategy is pertinent or significant for achieving the related objective and the extent to which the objective is significant to the problem addressed.
See also: “Evaluation”
Consistency or dependability of data and evaluation judgements, with reference to the quality of the instruments, procedures and analyses used to collect and interpret evaluation data. Evaluation information is reliable when repeated observations using similar instruments under similar conditions produce similar results.
See also: “Evaluation”
The measurable accomplishment/outcome (intended or unintended, positive or negative) of a programme or project. In the Secretariat practice, “result” is synonymous with accomplishment and outcome.
See also: “Accomplishment”, “Expected accomplishment”, “Outcome”, “Effect”, “Impact”, “Results-based management (RBM)”
An adjusted baseline recorded in IMDIS in cases where the actual figures recorded in the previous biennium differ from the estimated baselines in the proposed programme of work.
See also: “Baseline”, “Target,”, “IMDIS”
An adjusted target recorded in IMDIS in cases where the estimated baselines and targets in the proposed programme of work have to be adjusted to capture actual achieved results from the previous biennium and realistic achievements for the current biennium.
See also: “Baseline”, “Target,”, “IMDIS”
The selection of a representative part of a universe in order to assess parameters or characteristics of that universe. Random sampling is the selection of a group of subjects (the sample) from a larger group (the population or universe), so that each individual or other unit is chosen entirely by chance.
Systematic collection of information from defined respondents through the administration of a structured questionnaire in person, by telephone, by mail, or by web. A survey can be administered to the universe of all respondents or to a sample of that universe.
The process of identifying relationships between variables and aggregating data with a view to reducing complexity and drawing conclusions.
See also: “Data”
The use of three or more methods to conduct an evaluation or substantiate as assessment. By combining multiple data sources or methods evaluators seek to overcome the bias that comes from single informants and single methods.
See also: “Data”, “Evaluation”, “Bias”, “Best practice”
A group of persons (or other subjects of study) that the evaluation wishes to describe or generalize about. Also called “population”.