Establishing Evaluation Objectives

Establishing evaluation objectives requires formal, frequent, and extensive interaction among program evaluators and administrators. The fundamental purpose of this inter action is to obtain from administrators the information necessary to make the most effective choices in planning and carrying out evaluations. In this paper, three techniques are described that can be used to ensure that this interaction is constructive: (1)prepara tion of a systems analysis of the program, (2) systematic identification of evaluation issues, and (3) evaluation of information needs as a function of decision-making responsi bilities. Examples of how these techniques have been employed in the recent evaluation of one of A CTION's full-time domestic volunteer programs are presented.