Goal-free evaluation checklist

The commissioner and evaluator manage this worksheet separately. Clearly separate their sections and do not share information until evaluation is complete.

When to use this worksheet and what completion involves Fictional completed example

EvalCompass Worksheet

Goal-free evaluation checklist

Method: Goal-Free Evaluation

The commissioner and evaluator manage this worksheet separately. Clearly separate their sections and do not share information until evaluation is complete.

[Commissioner] Information management plan

Record information withheld from evaluators and its management (do not show it until evaluation is complete)

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

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Type of information withheld	Storage and management method	Timing of disclosure
Official outcome objectives and targets	Managed by the commissioner separately from evaluator materials	After records of actual effects are finalized

Reason for this entry: Do not exclude safety information or contacts needed for the research.

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Type of information withheld	Storage and management method	Timing of disclosure

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

Record information withheld from evaluators and its management (do not show it until evaluation is complete)

Do not exclude safety information or contacts needed for the research.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Keep the information in each row aligned. Scroll wide tables horizontally to see every column.

Read the full fictional example

[Evaluator] Independent needs assessment

Enter beneficiary and community needs assessment findings obtained without consulting program goals

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

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Need	Target group	Evidence for the need (source)	Importance (high / medium / low)
Contact with local people without undue burden	Participants and people who decided not to participate	Experiences examined through voluntary interviews	High

Reason for this entry: Examine needs independently of official goals.

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Need	Target group	Evidence for the need (source)	Importance (high / medium / low)

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

Enter beneficiary and community needs assessment findings obtained without consulting program goals

Examine needs independently of official goals.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Keep the information in each row aligned. Scroll wide tables horizontally to see every column.

Read the full fictional example

[Evaluator] Observed effects

Record all changes produced by the program, intended or unintended

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

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Observed effect or change	Target group	Positive / negative	Sources and evidence
Made acquaintances	Participants	Positive	The person’s account and confirmation from a consenting other person
Felt unable to decline participation each time	Former participants	Negative	Voluntary interviews with people who declined

Reason for this entry: Record both benefits and burdens.

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Observed effect or change	Target group	Positive / negative	Sources and evidence

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

Record all changes produced by the program, intended or unintended

Record both benefits and burdens.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Keep the information in each row aligned. Scroll wide tables horizontally to see every column.

Read the full fictional example

[Evaluator] Contributions to needs

Assess how far each effect meets needs identified in the needs assessment

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

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Effect or change	Corresponding need	Contribution (high / medium / low / negative)	Grounds for judgment
More acquaintances	Contact with the community	Medium	Contacts increased, but continuity is unconfirmed
Difficulty declining participation	Participation without undue burden	Negative	Concerns about freedom to decline

Reason for this entry: Compare experiences with needs rather than evaluator preferences.

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Effect or change	Corresponding need	Contribution (high / medium / low / negative)	Grounds for judgment

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

Assess how far each effect meets needs identified in the needs assessment

Compare experiences with needs rather than evaluator preferences.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Keep the information in each row aligned. Scroll wide tables horizontally to see every column.

Read the full fictional example

[After evaluation] Comparison with goals (optional)

After evaluators complete the evaluation, the commissioner discloses goals for comparison

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

After finalizing observation records, compare them with the goal of increasing opportunities for interaction. Improve opportunities while also protecting voluntary participation.

Reason for this entry: Do not erase unexpected burdens when comparing with goals.

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

After evaluators complete the evaluation, the commissioner discloses goals for comparison

Do not erase unexpected burdens when comparing with goals.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Use the example as a reference and record what you have established about your own program. Distinguish assumptions and unchecked matters from confirmed facts.

Read the full fictional example

Before writing, check when to use the worksheet and what completion involves

Goal-free evaluation checklist is a worksheet for applying Goal-Free Evaluation in meetings or individual work. For the overall duration of the method, use “Illustrative estimate (adjust for scale and staffing): depends on program scale; allow an additional 1–2 weeks to design evaluation without goal information” as a reference, adjusting for scale and resources. Fill in what you know provisionally and leave unresolved matters as questions to check next.

When this worksheet is useful

Comprehensively identifying positive and negative unintended effects or side effects
Ensuring accountability evaluation is not constrained by implementers’ self-reported goals
When goal setting may be arbitrary and independent external evaluation is required

Participants and preparation

Independent external evaluator who has not been exposed to program goals. The commissioner appoints an information manager.

Bring the materials used for decisions, existing data, and differing stakeholder views to help complete the worksheet.

Suggested order

1. [Commissioner] Information management planRecord information withheld from evaluators and its management (do not show it until evaluation is complete)
2. [Evaluator] Independent needs assessmentEnter beneficiary and community needs assessment findings obtained without consulting program goals
3. [Evaluator] Observed effectsRecord all changes produced by the program, intended or unintended
4. [Evaluator] Contributions to needsAssess how far each effect meets needs identified in the needs assessment
5. [After evaluation] Comparison with goals (optional)After evaluators complete the evaluation, the commissioner discloses goals for comparison

Signs the worksheet is ready for review

Independent needs assessment records
Complete list of observed intended and unintended effects
Report on contributions to needs

Cautions for review

Evaluators formally remain unaware of goals but infer them and conduct goal-achievement evaluation
Skipping needs assessment and declaring changes good based on evaluator preference
Information management for complete GFE becomes so complex that team communication fails

Read a completed fictional example (your entries will not change)

Fictional example; not actual results

The following fictional example examines participants’ and non-participants’ experiences of community events without informing evaluators of outcome goals.

[Commissioner] Information management plan

Scroll horizontally to view the table

Type of information withheld	Storage and management method	Timing of disclosure
Official outcome objectives and targets	Managed by the commissioner separately from evaluator materials	After records of actual effects are finalized

Reason for this entry: Do not exclude safety information or contacts needed for the research.

[Evaluator] Independent needs assessment

Scroll horizontally to view the table

Need	Target group	Evidence for the need (source)	Importance (high / medium / low)
Contact with local people without undue burden	Participants and people who decided not to participate	Experiences examined through voluntary interviews	High

Reason for this entry: Examine needs independently of official goals.

[Evaluator] Observed effects

Scroll horizontally to view the table

Observed effect or change	Target group	Positive / negative	Sources and evidence
Made acquaintances	Participants	Positive	The person’s account and confirmation from a consenting other person
Felt unable to decline participation each time	Former participants	Negative	Voluntary interviews with people who declined

Reason for this entry: Record both benefits and burdens.

[Evaluator] Contributions to needs

Scroll horizontally to view the table

Effect or change	Corresponding need	Contribution (high / medium / low / negative)	Grounds for judgment
More acquaintances	Contact with the community	Medium	Contacts increased, but continuity is unconfirmed
Difficulty declining participation	Participation without undue burden	Negative	Concerns about freedom to decline

Reason for this entry: Compare experiences with needs rather than evaluator preferences.

[After evaluation] Comparison with goals (optional)

After finalizing observation records, compare them with the goal of increasing opportunities for interaction. Improve opportunities while also protecting voluntary participation.

Reason for this entry: Do not erase unexpected burdens when comparing with goals.

Common errors in judgment

Assuming goal-free evaluation needs no judgment criteria

How to revise: Compare participants’ needs with actual changes

Reason: Withholding goals does not remove the need for grounds for value judgments.

Withholding safety procedures as well

How to revise: Share information needed for protection and consent; restrict only goal information

Reason: Reducing preconceptions must not increase harm.

Editorial and checking information

Content updated: 2026-10-07Source checked: 2026-09-13 (includes AI cross-checking)No documented human reviewIncludes fictional examplesEditorial policy and scope of checking Cite this page Report a correction

References and checked sections

APA Dictionary of Psychology: goal-free evaluation
American Psychological Association
Section consulted
goal-free evaluation
How it relates to the text
Restrict prior knowledge of official goals and attend to actual effects and unintended negative aspects.
Source checked: 2026-09-13 (includes AI cross-checking)

How to cite this page

EvalCompass Editorial Team. “Goal-free evaluation checklist”. EvalCompass, updated 2026-10-07. https://evalcompass.jun-nakatani.com/en/worksheets/goal-free-evaluation/

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Change history

2026-10-07 — Corrected statements and procedures identified during content checks (U10). Preserved the order, number and labels of input fields and the section structure.
2026-09-13 — Updated explanations to correspond to the sources and added method-specific fictional completed examples, judgment examples and a change log.