Documentation as evaluation: Capturing context, process, obstacles, and success

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to explain how documentation can be applied as an evaluation method by education researchers and evaluators studying the implementation of program innovations. Although the methods employed in documenting programs are quite similar to typical evaluation methods, the goals are distinguished primarily by (1) an emphasis on the information needs of program implementers as well as policymakers and funders and (2) the use of a variety of data collection mechanisms to capture context, processes, obstacles, and successes of individual program components that are considered to be critical in the implementation process. Experience in documenting a number of recent large-scale innovations provides evidence that documentation is a viable and potentially potent form of evaluation, for both midcourse corrections and the overall improvements of program innovation in an educational system.