Overview of Formative, Process, and Outcome Evaluation Methods Used in the VERB^™ Campaign

Abstract: Evaluation was an integral part of the VERB^™ campaign. This paper describes the array of evaluation methods used to support the development, implementation, and assessment of campaign activities. The evaluation of VERB consisted of formative, process, and outcome evaluations and involved both qualitative and quantitative methods. Formative evaluation allowed staff to test ideas for messages and to gauge their appropriateness for the intended audiences. Process evaluation allowed staff to test and monitor the fidelity of the campaign's implementation to objectives and to make changes while the campaign was under way. Outcome evaluation allowed staff to determine the campaign's effects on the target audience. Because a comprehensive approach was used, which included formative and process evaluation, the VERB team's ability to interpret the results of the outcome evaluation was enhanced.