Decision Making for Sustainable Use and Development - Coastal Lagoons: Ecosystem Processes and Modeling for Sustainable Use and Development - page 361

• Recognizes the value of both the process and the resulting products and
outcomes
• Provides for buy-in and involvement
• Produces both biological and socio-economic outcomes
• Results in increased awareness of stakeholders, public input, and participation
• Results in an informed and educated public

Why evaluate?
To monitor the progress and evaluate the success of the project

When to evaluate?
At regular intervals and the end of the implementation period

What to evaluate?
Goals, assumptions, objectives against key indicators, progress

How to evaluate?
Through implementation teams or objective committees; regular stakeholder
meetings, focus groups, steering committees

Figure 8.8 provides a schematic representation of the recommended steps of an
effective evaluation process. Any evaluation method should account for the values of
both the tangible and intangible results of such an endeavor. It is necessary to evaluate
the impacts of the process as well as the resulting products. A common scenario is the
development of a 5-year lagoon management plan. This plan would set goals for each
year and have a time table to account for the progress of each task that has been prioritized
in the plan. Evaluation should take place at the end of each year, at the target completion
date for each task, and at the end of the 5-year period. At each of these evaluation
periods, the goals, objectives, tasks and priorities, and schedule, as well as data and
tools, should be reviewed. It should be recognized that with time, new information and
tools become available because the uncertainties of limitations, restraints, and resources
change with time. At each evaluation interval, these major components of the plan need
to be evaluated in the context of available resources and constraints. The plan needs to
be updated and corrected for the uncertainties that only time will manifest.
While evaluation of the plan itself and its tangible products and results is
relatively straightforward and apparent, the results of the evaluation process are less
evident. A process tends to affect every party participating in it to some degree. It
is important to measure and evaluate these intangible effects of the process as well
as the tangible ones. A likely scenario is that the stakeholders and participants, who
have held monthly meetings for 5 years, have a greater awareness and knowledge
of the lagoon components, as well as a greater understanding of the viewpoints,
nature, and resources of the other stakeholders. A more educated and aware public
and stakeholder coalition should be recognized as a result of the process, as should
any negative or divisive impacts from the process. However, if evaluation is being
conducted regularly and correctly, any negative or divisive tendencies should be
addressed and effectively redirected into positive learning experiences. More often
than not, the coalition, partnerships, and networks created from the process become