What is the primary function of a program logic model in evaluation planning?

What is the primary function of a program logic model in evaluation planning?

• A. It provides a random list of activities
• B. It focuses only on immediate outputs
• C. It links inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and impact to guide measurement and interpretation
• D. It replaces the need for data collection

Answer: (C)

A program logic model’s job is to connect the resources put into a program, the activities carried out, the outputs produced, the short- and medium-term outcomes, and the ultimate impact, so you can plan what to measure and how to interpret results. This framework makes the expected causal pathway explicit, helping evaluators choose appropriate indicators for each step, set benchmarks, and assess whether each part of the sequence is functioning as intended. It also clarifies assumptions about how activities lead to outcomes and impacts, which guides interpretation of data and helps identify where the logic may be breaking down. It isn’t a random list of activities, it isn’t only about immediate outputs, and it doesn’t replace data collection; rather, it provides the structured plan that guides what data to collect and how to understand what the data mean in relation to the program’s theory of change.

A program logic model’s job is to connect the resources put into a program, the activities carried out, the outputs produced, the short- and medium-term outcomes, and the ultimate impact, so you can plan what to measure and how to interpret results. This framework makes the expected causal pathway explicit, helping evaluators choose appropriate indicators for each step, set benchmarks, and assess whether each part of the sequence is functioning as intended. It also clarifies assumptions about how activities lead to outcomes and impacts, which guides interpretation of data and helps identify where the logic may be breaking down. It isn’t a random list of activities, it isn’t only about immediate outputs, and it doesn’t replace data collection; rather, it provides the structured plan that guides what data to collect and how to understand what the data mean in relation to the program’s theory of change.