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HPAC.5 Assess: Did It Work?
Surveys, pre and post checks, tallies, focus groups and honest results
Your materials
Slides (PowerPoint) Handout (Word)
For instructors
Facilitator guide Printable pre and post tests Quiz (LMS import)
What you will learn
- Tell the difference between outputs and outcomes
- Build a short pre and post survey and a tally sheet
- Run a respectful focus group with permission
- Report honest results and decide what to change
Start here
Your team ran a great event and everyone smiled. Does that prove it worked? How would you know for sure?
Lesson
Outputs vs outcomes
Outputs: what we did
- We held 3 workshops
- 62 students came
- We gave out 150 resource cards
Outcomes: what changed
- More students could name 3 calming skills
- More students knew how to reach 988
- Students said they felt less alone
Pre and post: the simple test
- Ask before: Give three to five short questions before your session starts.
- Teach: Run your session, focused on one main message.
- Ask again: Give the very same questions right after.
- Compare: Count how many got each question right before and after.
- Explain: Write one sentence on what changed and what did not.
Ways to collect evidence
| Tool | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Pre and post survey | Measuring what people learned | Questions that are too easy |
| Tally sheet | Counting visitors and handouts | Forgetting to count |
| Short interview | Hearing one person's story | Leading the answer |
| Focus group | Hearing a group's ideas | Loud voices taking over |
| Photos and notes | Showing what happened | Photos of people without consent |
Running a focus group the right way
- Get permission: Follow school rules; for students under 18, get guardian and school approval first.
- Ask open questions: Ask 'what did you like or not like?' instead of 'did you love it?'
- Protect privacy: No names in notes; agree that what is said in the room stays in the room.
- Share the mic: Invite quiet people in and gently pause anyone who talks over others.
Assessing with the upstream lens
- What we see: After a Fairfax food workshop, students knew more about healthy snacks, but few changed what they ate.
- Why it happens (upstream): The corner stores near school still sell mostly chips and soda, and fresh food costs more.
- What we can build on (assets): A school garden, a farmers market that takes SNAP, a store owner open to change, and the student council.
Situation: the results look bad
Situation: Imani's team in Slavic Village ran a vaping workshop. Post-survey scores went up only a little, and some students wrote it was boring. A teammate wants to leave those surveys out.
What should the team do?
- Keep every survey; honest data builds trust
- Report what went up and what did not
- Read the comments for ideas to improve
- Write a clear plan for what to change next time
From results to next steps
- What worked: List the parts that went well and why.
- What did not: List what fell short, without blaming people.
- What surprised us: Note anything you did not expect.
- What we will change: Pick one or two changes for next time.
Talk it over
- Which outcome matters most for our project, and how will we measure it?
- Why is it hard to report results that look bad?
- What would make our survey questions better?
Study sheet
The big idea: We assess our work honestly, with numbers and stories, so we learn what helped and what to change.
Key points
- Outputs count what we did; outcomes show what changed in people.
- A pre and post survey asks the same short questions before and after a session.
- Tally sheets, interviews, focus groups and notes add more evidence.
- Focus groups need permission, open questions, privacy and fair turns to talk.
- We never hide or change data; honest results build trust.
- Use four questions to review: what worked, what did not, what surprised us, what we will change.
Remember
- Output = what we did; outcome = what changed
- Same questions, same order, before and after
- Keep surveys anonymous
- Bad results are findings, not failures
Ask yourself
- How would I feel sharing results that did not turn out the way I hoped?
- What evidence would convince me that our project made a difference?
Vocabulary
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Evaluation | Checking carefully whether a project did what it set out to do. |
| Output | A count of what the team did, such as events held or people reached. |
| Outcome | A change in people, such as new knowledge, skills or behavior. |
| Pre and post survey | The same short questions asked before and after a session to see what changed. |
| Tally sheet | A simple sheet for counting things, like visitors to a table. |
| Focus group | A small group discussion led by a facilitator to hear people's ideas and opinions. |
| Anonymous | Without names, so no one can tell who gave which answer. |
| Data | Facts, numbers and comments collected to learn about something. |
| Honest reporting | Sharing all results, good and bad, without hiding or changing them. |
Real-life situations
The survey with names
Carlos's team in Clark-Fulton made a survey that asks for each student's name and whether they have tried vaping.
What to do
- Remove the name line so the survey is anonymous
- Check the survey with the adult supervisor and school before using it
- Explain at the start that answers are private and optional
- Store finished surveys where only the team and supervisor can see them
Why: People answer more honestly when they cannot be identified, and personal health information must be protected.
The loud focus group
In Brianna's focus group at a Glenville rec center, one student answers every question while others stay quiet.
What to do
- Thank the student for sharing
- Say 'Let's hear from someone who hasn't spoken yet'
- Try a quick round where everyone gives a one-word answer
- Note in your report that a few voices may have shaped the results
Why: Fair turns give a truer picture of what the whole group thinks.
The tempting number
Devon's team in Lorain counted 41 visitors at their table. A teammate wants to write 100 on the poster because it 'sounds better.'
What to do
- Report the real number, 41
- Explain that changing data breaks trust with partners and judges
- Add an outcome or quote to show the impact
- Plan ways to reach more people next time
Why: Honest numbers protect the team's reputation and the community's trust.
Activity: Build our evaluation kit
About 35 minutes.
- Write one output and one outcome your team will measure.
- Write a 3 to 5 question anonymous pre and post survey for your session.
- Make a simple tally sheet for your outreach or event.
- Write three open focus group questions.
- Have your adult supervisor review the kit before you use it.
Post-test
Ten questions. You need 75% to pass, with one retake. Your result is saved in this browser.