Employee Wellness : Workplace Physical Activity Programs: Types of Assessment

The type of assessment you choose is dependent upon when you do it and the kind of information you gather.

This section outlines when to use three types: formative, process and summative evaluations.

During the Design Stage

Use formative evaluations in the planning stages to ensure that your program is built on solid information. These evaluations also help you to advance effective and appropriate materials and procedures.

Examples of formative evaluations include:

• records of upper management commitments to the program
• employee interest surveys
• workplace environmental assessments
• pre-testing of program materials

During Your Initiative

A process evaluation is used when the initiative is underway. These evaluations help you:

• track what is going well and what isn’t (and how to revise your program)
• find out if you are reaching the employees you want to reach
• describe the program to others
• monitor who is participating in the program

During or Following Your Initiative

Summative evaluations happen when the program is already in place or completed. Use this type of assessment to measure what workers like about the program and what could be improved.

All three types of evaluations have their place. The assessment you choose is dependent upon the time and financial resources you have available.