ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a clear understanding of relationships as described by John Mayne. Getting good data and putting them together remains an ongoing challenge for evaluators providing information to decision makers. The chapter presents the challenges facedbythe Public Service Commission of Canada in getting accurate and timely results for one of their program responsibilities and the consequences for program decision making. The methodology was a non-experimental design using periodic data over a long period of time. Success was determined by evaluating improvements over time. The specific program is in the area of employment equity—Canadian programming in the tradition of achieving greater social equality in Western democracies. The case illustrates the care that needs to be taken in interpreting results. While particular measures appeared credible, were repeatedly used, and confirmed existing beliefs, a closer examination of the underlying methodology and restrictions on some of the measures placed significant limitation on the data that were not initially recognized.
