Incorporating public values into evaluative criteria: Using crowdsourcing to identify criteria and standards

Representing the values of program participants: Endogenous evaluative criteria

Evaluative conclusions are grounded in implicit and explicit criteria that describe a successful or high-quality intervention. Most often, evaluative criteria are drawn from program objectives that reflect the values and priorities of program designers and funders. Yet, an exclusive focus on program goals risks overlooking the values of program participants, the extent to which their actual needs and priorities are addressed, and, in certain types of programs, the choices participants make and agency they exercise. This article presents concepts and methods to guide evaluators in drawing some of the criteria used in an evaluation from program participants. The article outlines a typology of evaluative criteria and seven methods for drawing outcomes-focused criteria from program participants. The article concludes with a discussion of implications and future directions for research and practice.