Hierarchical Logic Models as a Tool to Evaluate Programmatic Initiatives: Practical Solutions to Identified Problems.

Program planners, evaluators and other stakeholders use logic models to clearly articulate the links between proposed program goals, resources, activities, outcomes, and impacts of their initiatives. This systemic approach to programplanning and evaluation provides a road map for the program and assistsprograms to define strategies that will lead to success. In building logic models, stakeholders must define a program theory to provide a rationale for how the activities will lead to outcomes. Involving stakeholders in the development of program logic models instills a shared understanding of the program theory. When working with a large, multi-component program, the integration of logic models can provide further clarification about the program, as a whole, as well as individual program components.

Logic models can provide a productive framework for effective planning and a depiction of the process of change of an intervention. Most often presented as sequenced diagrams or flow charts, logic models demonstrate relationships among the following components: Statement of a problem, various causal and mitigating factors related to that problem, available resources to address the problem, intervention goals and planned activities, and anticipated short and long-term outcomes. This traditional logic model framework may be augmented to include consideration of key factors that may hinder and/or enhance the well-being of the target population, or attainment of the goal set, and may affect the program at the individual, family, programmatic/ organizational or policy level.(Read more)