Definition
Evaluation questions are the overarching inquiries that guide an evaluation, typically 3-7 broad questions that define what the evaluation will investigate. They are not the survey questions or interview questions asked to respondents. Instead, evaluation questions sit at the strategic level and determine what data must be collected, how it will be analyzed, and what will ultimately be reported. They often align with donor evaluation criteria like relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability (known as DAC criteria).
Why It Matters
Strong evaluation questions anchor the entire evaluation design. They clarify for the programme, donors, and evaluators exactly what the evaluation will answer, and equally important, what it will not address. Without clear evaluation questions, evaluations often become sprawling data collection exercises that consume resources without producing actionable findings. Conversely, questions that are too narrow miss important context; those that are too vague are unanswerable. Good evaluation questions are specific, decision-relevant, and achievable within budget and timeline.
In Practice
Evaluation questions are developed collaboratively in an inception workshop bringing together programme management, donors, and evaluators. The team starts with the evaluation purpose (what decision does this evaluation inform?), then drafts candidate questions. Good evaluation questions typically use "how" or "what" framing rather than yes/no formats. For example: "How did the capacity-building activities influence the use of data by district health teams?" is stronger than "Did the training work?" Once drafted, questions are reviewed for feasibility and adjusted based on resource constraints. The finalised evaluation questions appear prominently in the Terms of Reference and form the structure of the final evaluation report.
Related Topics
- DAC Evaluation Criteria, The five standard dimensions for evaluation questions
- Evaluability Assessment, Whether the programme is ready to be evaluated
- Terms of Reference, The formal scope document for an evaluation
- Scope of Work, The detailed specification of evaluation deliverables