Project Evaluation Making Investments Succeed

by Samset, Knut

• ISBN13: 9788251918404
• ISBN10: 8251918405
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-09-01
• Publisher: Fagbokforlaget

Summary

Organisations increasingly use projects to undertake major as well as smaller tasks. Projects help target and delimit activities, place the responsibility and transfer risk from the financing to the implementing party. As a result, evaluation has become popular as a tool to control, guide and draw lessons of experience from projects. This book is intended both as a textbook for students and a handbook for practitioners. It provides hands-on easy to comprehend lessons about evaluation as a phenomenon, its design, preparation and methodology -- as well as the project as a management tool.

Author Biography

Knut Samset is professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 THE PROJECT
1.1 Introduction - topics covered in this book	3	(2)
1.2 The project as a means to achieve an aim	5	(2)
1.3 Uncertainty affecting projects	7	(2)
1.4 Internal and external uncertainty	9	(2)
1.5 The project's main stakeholders	11	(2)
1.6 The stakeholders' interests in the project	13	(3)
1.7 The project in a time perspective	16	(3)
1.8 The project's design	19	(3)
1.9 The project strategy	22	(3)
1.10 Successful projects	25	(6)
CHAPTER 2 WHAT IS EVALUATION?
2.1 What is evaluation?	31	(3)
2.2 Documentation to improve performance	34	(3)
2.3 Evaluation: a tool in quality management	37	(2)
2.4 How to make evaluations useful	39	(2)
2.5 Drawing lessons from evidence	41	(3)
2.6 Two main approaches to evaluation	44	(2)
2.7 Purposes and focuses of evaluation	46	(2)
2.8 The quality of evaluations	48	(2)
2.9 Evaluability assessment	50	(5)
CHAPTER 3 EVALUATION, STEP BY STEP
3.1 The main parties to an evaluation	55	(2)
3.2 Carrying out the evaluation	57	(2)
3.3 The decision to evaluate	59	(2)
3.4 Preparing the mandate	61	(2)
3.5 Initiating the evaluation	63	(2)
3.6 Implementing the evaluation	65	(2)
3.7 Preparing the report	67	(2)
3.8 Finalisation and follow-up	69	(4)
CHAPTER 4 THE FOCUS OF EVALUATION
4.1 Measures of success	73	(4)
4.2 Evaluation criteria	77	(2)
4.3 Measuring efficiency	79	(2)
4.4 Measuring effectiveness	81	(2)
4.5 Assessing impact	83	(3)
4.6 Assessing relevance	86	(2)
4.7 Assessing sustainability	88	(5)
CHAPTER 5 THE CROSS-SECTORAL VIEW
5.1 An integrated evaluation model	93	(3)
5.2 Policy support measures	96	(2)
5.3 Economic and financial issues	98	(3)
5.4 Socio-economic aspects	101	(2)
5.5 Environmental impact	103	(2)
5.6 Institutional aspects	105	(2)
5.7 Technological aspects	107	(4)
CHAPTER 6 DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
6.1 Deductive versus inductive research	111	(2)
6.2 Reviewing the strategy	113	(2)
6.3 The problem of attribution	115	(3)
6.4 The information process	118	(3)
6.5 Study design	121	(2)
6.6 Quantitative and qualitative analysis	123	(6)
CHAPTER 7 DATA COLLECTION METHODS
7.1 Collecting information	129	(3)
7.2 Using existing data	132	(2)
7.3 Key informant interviews	134	(2)
7.4 Direct measurements	136	(2)
7.5 Direct observation	138	(2)
7.6 Focus group interview	140	(2)
7.7 Informal survey	142	(2)
7.8 Case study	144	(2)
7.9 Extensive observation	146	(2)
7.10 Formal survey	148	(5)
CHAPTER 8 ENSURING QUALITY
8.1 Knowledge and evidence	153	(2)
8.2 Quality of information	155	(2)
8.3 Securing validity and reliability	157	(3)
8.4 Securing credibility	160	(2)
8.5 Triangulation to establish facts	162	(3)
8.6 Securing resources for evaluation	165	(2)
8.7 Evaluation ethics	167	(6)
CHAPTER 9 REPORTING AND USING RESULTS
9.1 Making reports that are used	173	(3)
9.2 The use of evaluation	176	(3)
9.3 Using evaluation as a learning arena	179
CHAPTER 10 PROJECT CASES
10.1 Evaluating a project	183	(9)
10.2 Three strategies assessed	192	(6)
10.3 Four cases reviewed	198	(18)
ANNEXES
1. Glossary of evaluation terms	216	(12)
2. Relevant literature for further studies	228	(3)
3. Evaluation sites and sources	231	(1)
4. Index	232