Program evaluation is a structured process for assessing whether a program is being implemented as intended and achieving its desired outcomes.
Successful evaluations begin with engagement among key stakeholders, including program staff, funders, and other decision-makers. An important question at this stage is whether, and how, program participants should be involved in the evaluation design too, not just by serving as respondents in data collection activities.
At SSRS, we believe participant involvement strengthens evaluation design, but only when it is done purposefully. We do not take a one-size-fits-all approach to engagement. Instead, we believe that the appropriate level of participant involvement depends on the program, the evaluation questions, and how the findings will ultimately be used.
A core principle of our participant engagement approach is respect for participants’ time and contributions. We work with clients to determine if, when, and how participant feedback can meaningfully shape the evaluation. If participants invest their time in the evaluation design process, that input should have a clear opportunity to influence both the evaluation itself as well as strategic thinking about the program’s future.
Likewise, we recognize that engaging participants should be done with respect for their time, experience, and privacy. This means not overburdening participants with unnecessary activities, asking thoughtful and respectful questions, compensating them for their efforts, and appropriately protecting their confidentiality.
At SSRS, our participant engagement approach is guided by:
- Defining a clear purpose for involving participants;
- Showing respect for participants’ time, lived experiences, and privacy;
- Providing genuine opportunities for their input to support the evaluation; and,
- Sharing back with participants how their contributions ultimately informed and enhanced the findings.
When these conditions are met, participant engagement strengthens both the evaluation and the program itself.
SSRS applied this philosophy in our evaluation of the Rekindle Fellowship, a national Black-Jewish dialogue program striving to drive meaningful social change.
