Using Information Technology for Planning Program Evaluation, Essay Example

In the article entitled “Using Information Technologyin Planning Program Evaluation” authors Donald R. Leslie, Michael J. Holosko, and Judith M. Dunlop address the issue of utilizing information technology (IT) to provide a framework for the evaluation of social service programs. In order to place their discussion in a viable context, the authors first engage in a discussion about the overarching paradigms of social service programs; specifically, the dichotomy of programs aimed at or focusing on individual clients and those that are structured to operate in a larger social framework. Subsequent to this discussion, the authors examine the broad outlines of the history of IT and its applicability to social programs with an emphasis on how such technology can and has been used to evaluate such programs. After establishing this foundational framework, the authors move on to the primary thrust of their argument: that the application of IT for program evaluation is imperative in an environment where internal and external stakeholders are making increasing demands for accountability and evidence-based practices. The article makes a compelling case for the core thesis espoused by the authors, and is well-supported by a broad set of resources and references.

The introduction to the article cuts directly to several of the authors’ key assertions. Fundamental to their argument is the idea that the ways in which technology are used are often shaped less by effective planning and more by efforts to bend the technology to fit current demands. As calls for accountability and measurable, demonstrable results have increased in recent years, the application of IT has often been seen as a means of patching over existing problems. This approach to IT implementation not only fails to make full and effective use of technology in existing frameworks, it also fails to adequately consider how the implementation of IT can be used to wield fundamental changes to established ways of functioning in the social services context. In order to understand how IT can do more than simply facilitate existing paradigms, it is necessary to consider the ways in which these existing paradigms sometimes fall short. By evaluating the nature and structure of existing programs, it is possible to find new ways to use IT technology to meet the demands for accountability.

The authors discuss how social service programs, and the body of research that accompanies them, are often divided into two primary types. There are those programs that are aimed at serving the specific needs of individual clients, and those that attempt to address larger social issues that underpin the problems for which individuals seek the assistance of social programs. The extant body of research into these areas has largely been divided into “research in practice” which seeks to evaluate specific outcomes and “substantive research” which considers broader social issues.  In short, the authors contend that it is necessary to combine the two models into a broader set of research that not only evaluates program outcomes, but places those outcomes into the larger context of the social issues that necessitate the existence of such programs.

The next stage of the authors’ argument begins by describing the evolution of IT as it has been applied in social programs. Early generations of IT were limited to little more than spreadsheet applications that allowed for record-keeping and tracking of basic information. More current IT applications make it possible to monitor input, throughput and output concurrently and in real time, which provides a richer wealth of information for social workers and more expansive and useful data for researchers. The core value in acquiring and analyzing this data, according to the authors, is that it provides both a means of evaluating programs at the level of practice and also provides potential insight into the larger social context in which these programs operate. The authors contend that the implementation and application of current-generation IT can be and should be used not just to measure outcomes at the individual level, but should also be considered when developing programs that address larger social concerns.

The authors draw on a significant body of research-based evidence to support their argument. Along with such evidence-based research, the authors refer to texts that describe and explain the fundamental concepts in which their article is rooted. One example of the latter is the reference, early in the article, to the seminal work of C. Wright Mills entitled The Sociological Imagination. This book is well-known to those who practice social work, engage in related research, or who otherwise study or work in the field of Sociology. By referencing materials of this nature, the authors demonstrate that their argument is congruent with generally-accepted understanding of the milieu, which provides a solid basis from which to expand their argument. The article goes on to cite supporting material that addresses each of the individual components of their larger argument, and the totality of this supporting material is unimpeachably strong.

The article concludes with a summation of the main ideas presented by the authors before diverging briefly to an ancillary assertion about how the information gleaned from IT is often misused or unused. While the measurements and other information that is available to practitioners and to researchers through the use of IT can be enormously valuable, it only holds such value if and when it is properly understood and utilized. The authors suggest that it is necessary to ensure that the entirety of the relevant organizational culture is geared towards embracing the use of IT; without the appropriate organizational culture, such information is potentially meaningless. If there are any shortcomings in the article, they may be seen in the fact that the authors present so much information that it could potentially be overwhelming. One way they may be able to improve this is by offering a longer introduction and summary in which the main ideas are addressed both completely and directly. Along with this, the authors might improve the presentation by offering a greater measure of practical, real-world examples and suggestions, while trimming back some of the theoretical material. One possible means by which both of these suggestions could be addressed would be to develop a supplemental article that distills the core ideas in a more streamlined and palatable fashion. Such supplementary material could potentially make their arguments easier to understand for those engaged in real-world practice, and form a bridge between the realm of research and that of those who will directly operate within the framework proposed by the authors.