The Value of Multiple Perspectives in Program Evaluation
Written By
Sarafina Ndzi MA, LPCA, Evaluation Associate, PEAR &
Dr. Amreen Nasim Thompson, Associate Director of Research & Evaluation, PEAR
Have you ever looked out a window and realized that what you see depends entirely on where you’re standing? Someone else, peering through that very same window, might notice something completely different. The window hasn’t changed, but the vantage point has. Each person brings their own perspective, experiences, and mental map of the landscape, which shapes what they notice and how they interpret what is occurring at any moment in time.
The same idea applies when we evaluate youth-serving programs. What someone notices depends on their role, their experiences, and their relationship to a program. For example, a youth program director might focus on whether young people are demonstrating the outcomes a program is designed to support. Meanwhile, youth participants might be paying attention to something entirely different such as how much they want to participate. Their interest could be shaped by peer and adult relationships, their learning interests, and whether they feel confident taking on new challenges.
Each perspective matters. Each is equally important.
Gathering insights from multiple people, or as we say stakeholders in program evaluation (the people involved in or affected by the program or its results), helps us see a more holistic picture of what is really happening in a program. When we bring diverse viewpoints together, we can better understand a program’s processes, outcomes, and both the intended (ones we expect) and unintended (those we do not expect) effects it creates.
Why Use Multiple Perspectives?
Gathering feedback from a range of voices ensures that no single perspective dominates decisions about a program’s direction or improvement. Relying on only one viewpoint can lead to blind spots and ultimately to decisions that miss what is really happening. If stakeholders (e.g., program directors, program managers, and funders) want to strengthen how youth-serving programs operate, drawing on multiple sources of insight during program evaluation is essential.
Using multiple perspectives allows those interested in evaluation findings to:
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Develop a deeper understanding of how a program works and how it affects participants. Documenting how a program operates and hearing how different people understand its purpose provides a clearer picture of its function and purpose. This can happen through process evaluations or through tools like theories of change and logic models.
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Challenge assumptions and surface biases that might otherwise go unnoticed. Programs are often created to address a specific need or community challenge, and it is easy for stakeholders to assume their program alone can meet that need. Incorporating multiple perspectives can help separate fact from myth and encourage a more grounded view of the program’s impact.
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Recognize strengths and weaknesses from various vantage points. Insights from different stakeholders reveal what is working well and where opportunities for growth exist. These are valuable learning takeaways for any program evaluation.
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Create a more accurate, well-rounded picture of what the program is doing and for whom it is (or isn’t) working. What impact is the program having? Does that align with its intended goals? And does it benefit some participants more than others?
Which Perspectives or Voices Matter?
Incorporating diverse voices into a program evaluation takes time, intention, and thoughtful design. At PEAR, our evaluation team encourages those facilitating a program evaluation (or partnering with an external evaluator) to begin by identifying the groups of people whose perspectives matter most and who would benefit from the insights that emerge. You might consider:
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Program participants: Who are they, and what do they experience firsthand?
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Funders: How do they view the use and impact of their resources or investments?
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Community members: How do they see the program influencing youth and the broader community?
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Staff and volunteers: What insights do they have from implementing the program day-to-day?
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Understanding each group’s role and inviting their feedback in ways that are accessible, respectful, and meaningful are essential. When people feel genuinely included in the evaluation process, they’re more likely to participate deeply and take ownership of the results. This kind of engagement relies on strong rapport-building and consistent follow-up, something our team at PEAR prioritizes. We approach this work with care and align it closely with our Clover Model, which emphasizes belonging, reflection, active engagement, and assertiveness.
Gather Input at Multiple Timepoints
Perspective isn’t just about who you ask. It is also about when you ask. At PEAR, we encourage collecting feedback at multiple points throughout a program’s life cycle. For example, you can gather insights:
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Early on, to understand expectations and initial experiences. We often do this through our pilot program evaluations.
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Midway through, to check progress and make timely adjustments. Our training and coaching efforts draw on real-time data and provide actionable insights to address emerging challenges within youth-serving programs.
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After completion, to assess outcomes and long-term impact. This is the focus of our impact evaluations.
This layered approach offers a dynamic, evolving view of a youth-serving program, rather than relying on a single moment in time.
Bringing It All Together
When evaluating youth-serving programs, embracing multiple perspectives transforms evaluation from a one-dimensional task into a collective learning process. Each viewpoint adds clarity, context, and depth. Together, they help you see not just what your program is, but what it can become. Reach out to our team at PEAR if you would like to learn more about how our evaluation can help you gain insights that can help you understand or strengthen your program.