Analyze and Interpret Data
The next step in your evaluation is to analyze the data you collected. Crunching numbers or summarizing themes is part of that work, but equally important is how you interpret those data. Data can be viewed through many different lenses, and it may be helpful to refer back to the original purpose of the evaluation and the questions you outlined in your plan; these will guide your analysis and interpretation. Be sure to involve stakeholders in this work to help you understand the data's significance and to justify conclusions. When stakeholders agree that the conclusions are justified, they will be more inclined to act on the results.
This step corresponds with step 5 in the CDC's Framework for Program Evaluation — justifying conclusions.
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