CIPP Evaluation Model

CIPP Categories and Procedures

Consistent with an improvement focus, the CIPP model places a premium on guiding planning and implementation of development efforts. In doing so, the model’s intent is to supply evaluators with timely and useful information for stakeholders, so that they may identify appropriate areas of development, form sound goals and activity plans, strengthen existing programs and services, determine whether and when goals and activity plans need to be altered, and develop plans for the dissemination of effective practices. The utility of the [Page 272]model is judged relative to the relevance, importance, timeliness, clarity, and credibility of findings rather than through common technical adequacy criteria as often found in requirements for internal and external validity.

The model itself comprises four different evaluation approaches that are designed to assist managers and administrators in responding to differing informational and decision-making needs. Although it is not required that each evaluation use each of the four techniques, programmatic enterprises could certainly make use of various components of all four in parallel as an integrated method of continuous program improvement. What follows is a discussion of each of the four separate subevaluation approaches relative to their objectives, methods, and uses. Brief descriptions of certain techniques that evaluators might find useful for conducting each type of evaluation are included.