About this site

Purpose and scope

Originally prepared in Japanese, these resources explain when to use evaluation methods, their conditions and limitations, and their sources, with a focus on program evaluation. Use them to plan evaluation work in education and training, international cooperation, nonprofits and the social sector, healthcare, welfare, and related fields.

We also cover evaluation methods used in policy work. Policy evaluation and evidence-based policymaking (EBPM) are not synonymous. Check the definitions used by the relevant institution or recipient and consider the specific context.

Suggested ways to use this site

1. Write an evaluation plan — Evaluation plan (6 stages) helps you organize the purpose, the program and its pathway to change, evaluation questions, indicators and collection methods, roles and ethics, and the use of findings. Save work in progress and resume it from a JSON file.
2. Read the process guide — Evaluation process (10 steps) explains the overall evaluation process. The six-stage evaluation plan is a workspace you fill in; the two resources serve different purposes.
3. Find and compare methods — Method finder helps you find candidate methods. Read the Method library for conditions and limitations. If you have several candidates, the comparison page can help.
4. Put it into practice — Each method’s worksheet can be completed in your browser, saved and reopened as JSON, printed, or saved as a PDF. Opening a fictional example does not change your own entries.
5. Agree on terminology — Glossary provides definitions and references.

Content policy

• Start from the situation in which you will use evaluation — We prioritize explanations that help users decide what to do next when planning an evaluation, meeting, conducting research, or reporting.
• Distinguish facts from editorial judgments — We distinguish definitions, original sources, and institutional facts from practical choices and editorial suggestions. Difficulty, cost, and duration are editorial estimates, not mandatory requirements from the original sources.
• Check limitations and original sources — We explain what can and cannot be established, when a method is unsuitable, and what needs further checking. Use the references to consult the relevant sections of the original sources.

Before you use these resources

This site provides reference material for evaluation practice. It does not replace professional judgment on a specific project. Check the conditions of the method you use, the evaluation context, ethical considerations, and the applicable rules on personal information and data protection.

About the operator

Storage and privacy

Entries in evaluation plans and worksheets

Your entries are stored in the browser on this device. The tool does not send them to this site’s server or to analytics. They are not automatically transferred to another device or browser.

Saved data may be lost when browsing data is cleared or because of device or browser settings. In private browsing, it may be lost when the session ends. The screen displays a notice if saving is unavailable. Check the save status and export any work you want to keep as a JSON file.

JSON files are backups for resuming your work. Import them into the corresponding evaluation-plan tool or a worksheet for the same method. On a shared device, other users may be able to see your entries. Do not enter names, contact details, or other identifiable records. JSON files and printouts also contain your entries, so check their contents, where they are stored, and whom you share them with.

The URL created by “Copy search link” includes the search term and filters. It does not include entries in evaluation plans or worksheets. Do not share the URL if you entered personal information as a search term.

Analytics

This site uses Google Analytics 4 to understand usage and improve its content and usability. Google Analytics loads when you view a page. Information such as the pages viewed, features used, and general device and browser details is sent to Google, and analytics cookies are used. We do not intentionally collect names, email addresses, or other directly identifying information through analytics.

Analytics loads without a consent banner, regardless of any permission or refusal previously saved. Our measurement events do not include search terms or text entered in evaluation plans, worksheets, or the contact form. Google signals for advertising and ad personalization are disabled. For information on how Google handles data, see the Google Privacy Policy.

Information entered in the contact form is sent to the site operator by email through the form-delivery service Web3Forms. We use your name, optional reply email address and organization, selected categories, message, and information about the page being corrected to respond to your inquiry. These details are not stored on this site’s server. For Web3Forms’ handling of submitted data, see its privacy policy.

Reusing site content

Text created by this site may be reused under CC BY 4.0. Credit the source, link to the license, and indicate any changes. Consult the official license for the specific terms.

Quotations, linked external materials, and bundled fonts have their own terms of use. This site’s license does not apply to external materials in their entirety.

Corrections and change history

The explanations of ethics and individual methods identify source documents and the specific sections checked.references on evaluation ethics as well. We check reported errors against the source materials and record confirmed corrections and their dates in the page’s change history.