Episode 012: You Can't Prove It Worked If You Didn't Design For It — Why most program evaluation fails before the program even starts.

Most of us find out we don't have real proof our program works right when we need it most — writing a report, walking into a renewal call, or facing a board. In this episode, Renee breaks down why that's a timing problem, not a talent problem, and walks through exactly how to fix it before your next program launches. In this episode: The one-sentence test that reveals whether you actually have evidence your program works (most people can't pass it) Why “afterthought” evaluation quietly produces thin data you can't hand to a funder or a board The reframe that changes everything: evaluation as a design commitment, not a measurement tool A real example of a program that documented a 50%+ jump in success — with a follow-up email sequence, not a research team The land-trust story that shows what happens when your objective and your evidence aren't built together How the milestones you already run (weekly calls, check-ins) can double as evaluation checkpoints without adding new work Timestamps [0:00] Opening — the one-sentence test and why evaluation is a timing problem [1:00] The pattern: evaluation treated as the last step [2:00] The line to remember — you can't retroactively collect data on a transformation you didn't design for [3:00] The reframe: evaluation as a design commitment [5:00] Thin data vs. thick data, and a 50%+ documented success story [6:00] The land-trust example — an objective with no evidence architecture [8:00] Rebuilding a program backward from one observable behavior [9:00] The milestones you already have (weekly calls, check-ins) [10:00] Milestones as evaluation checkpoints — purposeful engagement [11:00] Recap and what's next for the series Resources mentioned Episode 6 — on designing milestones — referenced as a companion listen. [LINK TO EPISODE 6] Call to action Send Renee your evaluation questions or the places you're getting stuck — email with “podcast share” in the subject line, or send a DM. Listener questions will help shape where the series goes next. renee@kosterfreelancing.com · www.linkedin.com/in/renee-koster