Logic Models

… a core concept used in Evaluation and Performance Measurement and Atlas108

Concept description

Leslie Pal (reference below, p. 303) describes a logic model as a graphical representation of the links between program inputs, activities, outputs, immediate outcomes, and long-term results.

Pal writes (p. 277):

“Logic models … bring together program theory and implementation theory. “A logic model is a plausible and sensible model of how the program will work under certain environmental conditions to solve identified problems” (McLaughlin & Jordan, 2010, p. 56). While usually depicted as a chart or diagram, the essence of a logic model is a narrative of what the program is targeting, how it works, and what it is trying to achieve. Figure 7.3 illustrates the key elements of a logic model, though these can be extended considerably.

“There are several points to note about logic models. Figure 7.3 makes it clear that the “area of control” for an organization in this chain of cause and effect is between inputs and outputs. As one moves to outcomes, and especially to final outcomes, external factors have a greater role to play and bring back the attribution issue mentioned earlier. The figure also illustrates the two dimensions of efficiency and effectiveness… Efficiency is about the allocation of resources within organizations to meet stated goals. Effectiveness is about whether that allocation meets those goals and has the desired outcomes.”

Atlas topic, subject, and course

The Study of Evaluation and Performance Measurement (core topic) in Evaluation and Performance Measurement and Atlas108 Analytic Methods and Evaluation.

Sources

Leslie Pal (2014), Beyond Policy Analysis – Public Issue Management in Turbulent Times, Fifth Edition, Nelson Education, Toronto.

McLaughlin, J. A., & Jordan, G. B. (2010). Using logic models. In J. S. Wholey, H. P. Hatry, & K. E. Newcomer (Eds.), Handbook of practical program evaluation (3rd ed.). (pp. 55–80). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Page created by: Ian Clark, last modified 28 September 2017.

Image: Pinterest, at https://www.pinterest.com/pin/80150068348866898/, accessed 10 April 2017.