DEPP L16 Particularidades de la Evaluación de Impacto

Impact Evaluation: Key Characteristics

Technical Rigor in Impact Evaluations

• The primary distinction of impact evaluations is their methodological rigor, which is essential for accurate results. This requires a strong command of quantitative and statistical techniques.

• Evaluators must utilize probabilistic and econometric methods to estimate the impact of programs effectively, ensuring that results are interpretable without bias.

• A crucial component of the evaluation team should be an expert capable of estimating counterfactual scenarios—what would have happened without the program—using comparable populations.

Feasibility Considerations

• Not all programs are suitable for impact evaluations; feasibility must be assessed based on available data and information necessary for estimations.

• The timing of the evaluation is critical; effects may take years to manifest, making early evaluations impractical. Data collection can also extend over several months or even years.

• It’s recommended to plan evaluations at the program's inception to ensure proper documentation and regular data collection throughout its implementation.

Cost Implications

• Conducting rigorous impact evaluations involves significant costs due to complex statistical techniques that require specialized knowledge not universally available.

• Costs encompass not only monetary expenses but also human and material resources needed for extensive fieldwork to gather necessary data for impact estimation.

• Despite being resource-intensive, the insights gained from these evaluations are vital for refining public interventions through budgetary programs.