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The two basic types of evaluation needed in recreation and park programs

This is an excerpt from Leisure Program Planning and Delivery 2nd Edition by Amy R. Hurd,Denise M. Anderson.

There are two basic types of evaluation needed in recreation and park programs. First, evaluation must ask about the outcome, or benefit, of services. Second, evaluation must provide information about the process, or effort, involved in implementing these services.

Benefits Evaluation

Benefits evaluation, also known as outcomes analysis, outcomes evaluation, or effectiveness evaluation, documents the effect of a service on an individual client or, in some cases, a larger community. In the 1990s, the National Recreation and Park Association put a spotlight on the need to focus on the individual, communal, economic, and environmental benefits tied to recreation programs (Henderson et al., 2019). What changes do participants undergo as a result of being in the program? Do they learn anything, develop a skill, or become healthier? This type of evaluation is directly linked to the goals and objectives set forth in the planning of a program.

Park, recreation, tourism, sport, and related services benefit both individuals and collections of individuals—neighborhoods, communities, and other organizations. For example, an employee sport league may lower absenteeism for a corporation, or a conservation program may result in cleaner roadsides, which lead to more town pride felt by citizens. Each program results in a range of short-term and long-term benefits, and these must all be assessed through the evaluation process. This can be as simple as counting the billions served at McDonald’s or as complex as a full cost–benefit analysis. Either way, such measurements attempt to assess program patrons.

Implementation Evaluation

On the other hand, implementation evaluation focuses on how programs are conducted within an organization. This may also be labeled efficiency analysis, effort evaluation, or process evaluation. An implementation evaluation is one way to measure whether the processes for a program (the inputs) were appropriate for the desired outcomes and were implemented in a way that intentional programming had identified would likely to lead to desired outcomes. For example, an implementation evaluation might focus on whether staffing policies were followed. Were there enough lifeguards at the waterfront this summer? Were the lifeguards adequately recruited and trained? Was the compensation adequate for reducing midsummer staff turnover, without exceeding the budget and without reducing the satisfaction of pool users?

Strategies for Benefits and Implementation Evaluation

Under the umbrella of the benefits and implementation evaluation types, specific ­strategies are available. The following is an abridged list of various options for focusing evaluation. Some are useful for benefits evaluation, whereas others serve the purpose of implementation evaluation. Various approaches are often used together within the same evaluation study or in sequence over a period of time. Indeed, an ideal evaluation includes approaches that address both implementation and benefits outcomes. Table 14.2 outlines each approach.

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