The Pre‑Interview Risk Assessment Checklist is designed to help evaluators ensure interviews are safe, ethical, and well‑planned before they begin. Interviews can carry inherent risks that can affect participant well‑being, interviewer safety, and the quality of the data collected. This resource offers a structured, easy‑to‑use process for identifying potential concerns early and putting the right mitigation strategies in place.

It can be easy to describe what a program does, but is much harder to pin down what it’s actually trying to change. Without clear outcomes and assumptions, evaluations end up measuring what’s convenient instead of what matters.
A good program logic spells out the intended change, why it’s expected, and what’s realistically within the program’s influence. When that clarity is in place, everything from indicators to data collection becomes more meaningful.

Evaluative thinking is part of a meaningful evaluation, yet it’s often a challenging part of the process. While data can tell us what happened, it takes intentional reflection to uncover the so what—the significance, implications, and opportunities hidden within our findings. This resource, 10 Evaluative Thinking Questions, is designed to help evaluators, program managers, staff, and partners move beyond surface-level interpretation and dig deeper into what their results truly mean.

Ultimately, this resource helps transform evaluation from a reporting exercise into a learning practice.

Kick off your evaluation year with confidence by following five practical steps designed to streamline workflows and maximize impact. These steps help evaluators stay intentional, responsive, and efficient to support meaningful results and stronger relationships throughout the year. Start your year with clarity and purpose to achieve evaluation success!

This year-end wrap-up takes a look at the Eval Academy content that evaluators engaged with most in 2025—from our top articles and most downloaded resources to new courses, webinars, and learning tools. It offers a snapshot of what readers found most useful this year and highlights the practical evaluation topics that shaped our work.

This ready-to-use Paper Survey Template helps you create clear, well-structured paper surveys in Word without the usual formatting challenges. It includes customizable examples of common question types, a built-in introduction section, and practical tips to streamline setup—making it easier to design participant-friendly surveys that collect the data you actually need.

Discover practical strategies for managing stress in evaluation projects. This article explores common stressors faced by evaluators, including ambiguity, emotional impact, constant change, and limited resources. Learn actionable tips for reducing stress through enhanced project management, protecting scope and budgets, fostering team support, and using self-reflection. The guide also highlights leadership habits that promote healthy evaluation practices and offers tools for building resilience and maintaining balance. Ideal for evaluators seeking to improve wellbeing and effectiveness in their work.

Learn how to bridge the gap between evaluation questions and indicators in program evaluation. This article explains why developing indicators is a crucial step before choosing methods and measures, ensuring evaluations are focused, feasible, and aligned with intended outcomes. Discover practical tips for selecting specific, measurable, and timely indicators, balancing quantitative and qualitative approaches, and using frameworks like logic models and theory of change. The guide also covers indicator types, triangulation, and the importance of involving stakeholders in indicator design for robust, actionable evaluation results.

Evaluability Assessments (EAs) can save time, money, and effort by showing if a program is ready for evaluation—or if it’s too soon. This article breaks down when an EA is worth doing, when it’s not, and what to try instead.

Ever thought of testing your evaluation skills in a real-world challenge? This article shows how case competitions offer hands-on practice, networking, and even career opportunities—making them a fun and rewarding way to grow as an evaluator.

This article brings together Eval Academy’s top resources—organized around our “Three U’s” approach: Understand, Uncover, and Utilize. Whether you’re new to evaluation or ready to advance your practice, these curated resources will help you plan smarter, collect stronger data, and communicate findings with impact.

Starting out in evaluation can be exciting—but also intimidating. In this article, MSc student Letitia Koen shares her experience with imposter syndrome during her practicum and how asking questions, seeking feedback, and celebrating small wins helped her build confidence. A must-read for students and new evaluators navigating self-doubt in their own journeys.

Learn how to write effective evaluation questions with these 10 expert tips from Eval Academy. Discover how to align questions with purpose, engage partners, and explore outcomes, systems, and context.

Prepare effectively for in-person interviews or focus groups with this comprehensive checklist. Includes pre-event planning tips, essential items to bring, and practical advice for smooth facilitation.

Learn how to analyze with a small sample size of a handful of responses. This article discusses how to uncover valuable insights while communicating results with transparency.

Learn how to create trauma-informed evaluation tools that prioritize safety, dignity, and inclusivity when working with people affected by trauma.

Uncover key do’s and don’ts for evaluators using social media. This infographic will help you to share findings ethically, engage audiences, and increase impact while protecting confidentiality.

Discover tips for new evaluators to help build skills, embrace creativity, and grow your impact in evaluation.

Streamline your document review process with this infographic. This practical guide walks you through defining your scope, building a review framework, analyzing key findings, and turning your insights into actionable recommendations.

Evaluators do more than just evaluations! From meeting facilitation to strategic planning, data visualization, and quality improvement, our skills support organizations in many ways. Learn more in this article.