The key planning topics include:

• being clear about the evaluation type
• being clear about the purpose
• logic modelling
• identifying the criteria
• setting standards
• conducting an ethical evaluation.

Much like the assessment component of a unit of learning, evaluation can be planned well in advance and evaluation stages built into projects you develop.

Step-by-step guide to planning your evaluation

An evaluation plan should generally cover:

• purpose - who will use it and what for
• key questions the evaluation is seeking to answer
• sources of data that will help you answer these questions
• tasks, resourcing and time frames.

Five simple steps to plan an evaluation

1. Describe the project that is being evaluated.
2. State the purpose of the evaluation and how it will be used.
3. Set the evaluation questions.
4. Design the approach (the data being used and how these will be interpreted).
5. Plan the implementation (for example responsibilities, timelines, key risks and resources).

To follow five simple steps for planning an evaluation, download the evaluation plan template (DOCX 64.15KB).

To help illustrate how to complete the evaluation plan template, download the worked example for a Stage 2 robotics project (PDF 569.48KB).