Assessing and evaluating: Differentiating perspectives

Watkins, Ryan; Kaufman, Roger

doi:10.1002/pfi.4140410206

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 10 publications

(9 reference statements)

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“…As noted earlier, the primary drivers for deriving useful questions are the results we want to accomplish. Another driver is the types of decisions that must be made (Watkins & Guerra, 2003;Watkins & Kaufman, 2002). This driver will, in great part, determine what data have to be gathered.…”

Section: Linking Useful Questions To Organizational Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asking and answering the right questions collecting useful and relevant data

Guerra¹

2003

Perf. Improv.

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W hatever decision you are currently faced with making in your organization, it's worth making it right. That is, unless you have an endless supply of time, money, and other resources to risk by making decisions based on hunches, crystal balls, or however else decisions might get made. Sound decisions are made on the basis of relevant, reliable, and valid data related to important questions. These data should come from measurable indicators of the results we want to accomplish. Useful data allow us to prove the value of our efforts, without relying on opinions about what we should be accomplishing. Whether working on a formal project that requires the collection and interpretation of data (for example, needs assessment and evaluation) or on a less-formal fact-gathering mission, we're trying to find the answers to pressing organizational questions: What solution would solve our problem? ShouldThe questions we ask should be driven primarily by the results we want to achieve. All organizations are after results, whether those results are clear to everyone in the organization or not. Further, not all results are created equal. That is, all organizations have overarching results that they want to achieve, as well as en route there are numerous results that have to be accomplished. Everything else we do or use within the organization should contribute to these, lest we are wasting valuable and limited resources without any measurable benefit.

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Section: Linking Useful Questions To Organizational Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asking and answering the right questions collecting useful and relevant data

Guerra¹

2003

Perf. Improv.

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“…Therefore, the study had two related, yet different, purposes: (1) to evaluate the existing course and make recommendations for improvement and (2) to assess the performance of the local ergonomic committees to identify discrepancies. As Watkins and Kaufman () note: Performance technologists are “increasingly providing data representative of both [needs assessment and evaluation] perspectives to decision makers” (p. 23) and that considering both perspectives is necessary for organizational success. Situational constraints and complexities, however, usually lead “to design an amalgam of different approaches rather than select one model and follow it precisely … .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Both needs assessment and evaluation involve systematic collection of data to answer specific questions and make informed evidence‐based decisions to improve performance (Lee & Pershing, ; Watkins & Kaufman, ). Both needs assessment and evaluation utilize the same research methods (e.g., interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, observation, extant data, etc.).…”

Section: The Relationship Between Needs Assessment and Evaluationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to Shrock and Geis (1999), “every evaluation is different because of its unique context [yet] there are discernible steps that characterize every well‐conducted evaluation” (p. 197). However, as Watkins and Kaufman () caution, “the shift in perspective from an after‐the‐fact evaluation to a before‐the‐fact assessment alters the application of the data collection and analysis tools” (p. 23). An evaluation study can employ a formal, systematic data collection process, as well as an informal collection process that includes “selective anecdotal data, subjective perceptions, experience, instinct and reasoning … [as] the basis for sound judgments” (Worthen et al, , p. 7).…”

Section: The Relationship Between Needs Assessment and Evaluationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Integrating Evaluation and Needs Assessment: A Case Study of an Ergonomics Program

Kalman¹

2016

Perf Improvement Qrtly

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This case study focuses on the relationship between evaluation and needs assessment and how both processes were integrated in one project. The project involved evaluating a 10‐year‐old ergonomics course. The course was one component of a broader organizational change initiative, aimed to reduce or eliminate on‐the‐job injuries. The success of the change initiative depended on applying knowledge from the course as well as other workplace variables, such as management commitment, plant communications, and the relationship between management and union labor. Robert Stake's (1967) countenance framework was modified to consider both instructional and performance issues in the research design. Data collection included observing the course, conducting focus groups with past course attendees who were ergonomic committee members, interviewing ergonomic teams in manufacturing plants, and reviewing course materials and other related documents. The findings illustrate the overlap between the needs assessment and evaluation processes. The discussion addresses how these labels can limit perception of the system of interest, the importance of adapting the research design to take advantage of naturally occurring organizational events, the value of integrating both needs assessment and evaluation perspectives, and the importance of differentiating evaluation and needs assessment recommendations.

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“…Notes: An animated timeline is available at www.NeedsAssessment.org. The co-authors also suggest that readers consult the following supplemental sources which are in chronological order: James (1956); Gilbert (1967); Stufflebeam (1968); Kaufman (1972); English and Kaufman (1975); Kamis (1979); Warheit et al (1977); Scriven and Roth (1978); Monette (1979); Kaufman and English (1979); Neuber, Atkins, Jacobson, and Reuterman (1980); Lauffer (1982); Rossett (1987); Kaufman (1992); Kaufman (1998); Gupta (1999); Kaufman (2000); Watkins and Kaufman (2002); Altschuld (2004); Gupta, Sleezer, and Russ-Eft (2007); Altschuld (2010); Watkins, West Meiers, and Visser (2012); and Gupta, Sleezer, and Russ-Eft (2014).…”

Section: A Timeline For the Development Of Needs Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Primer on Needs Assessment: More Than 40 Years of Research and Practice

Altschuld

Watkins

2014

New Drctns Evaluation

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This chapter consists of an overview of needs assessment's rich history, definitions, models, tools, and techniques. These closely align its theory, research, and practice to several associated fields—most notably strategic planning and evaluation. The highlights of the content include a comparison to—and differentiation from—evaluation, a brief timeline of the recent history of the field, the notable emergence of hybrid assessment and asset/capacity building approaches, some discussion of opposition to needs assessment, and a description of two prominent models that guide what assessors do. The summary captures the dynamic nature of the enterprise and how it is evolving.

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Assessing and evaluating: Differentiating perspectives

Cited by 3 publications

References 10 publications

Asking and answering the right questions collecting useful and relevant data

Asking and answering the right questions collecting useful and relevant data

Integrating Evaluation and Needs Assessment: A Case Study of an Ergonomics Program

A Primer on Needs Assessment: More Than 40 Years of Research and Practice

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