▁er adic ated ▁the ▁problem / need ▁when ▁in ▁fact ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁need ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁place . ▁Ne eds ▁assess ment ▁involves ▁research ▁and ▁regular ▁consult ation ▁with ▁community ▁st ake hold ers ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁people ▁that ▁will ▁benefit ▁from ▁the ▁project ▁before ▁the ▁program ▁can ▁be ▁developed ▁and ▁implemented . ▁Hence ▁it ▁should ▁be ▁a ▁bottom - up ▁approach . ▁In ▁this ▁way ▁potential ▁problems ▁can ▁be ▁realized ▁early ▁because ▁the ▁process ▁would ▁have ▁involved ▁the ▁community ▁in ▁ident ifying ▁the ▁need ▁and ▁thereby ▁allowed ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁identify ▁potential ▁bar riers . ▁ ▁The ▁important ▁task ▁of ▁a ▁program ▁evalu ator ▁is ▁thus ▁to : ▁First , ▁construct ▁a ▁precise ▁definition ▁of ▁what ▁the ▁problem ▁is . ▁E valu ators ▁need ▁to ▁first ▁identify ▁the ▁problem / need . ▁This ▁is ▁most ▁effectively ▁done ▁by ▁collabor atively ▁including ▁all ▁possible ▁st ake hold ers , ▁i . e ., ▁the ▁community ▁impact ed ▁by ▁the ▁potential ▁problem , ▁the ▁agents / act ors ▁working ▁to ▁address ▁and ▁resolve ▁the ▁problem , ▁fund ers , ▁etc . ▁ ▁In cluding ▁buy - in ▁early ▁on ▁in ▁the ▁process ▁reduces ▁potential ▁for ▁push - back , ▁mis communic ation , ▁and ▁incomplete ▁information ▁later ▁on . ▁ ▁Second , ▁assess ▁the ▁extent ▁of ▁the ▁problem . ▁Having ▁clearly ▁identified ▁what ▁the ▁problem ▁is , ▁evalu ators ▁need ▁to ▁then ▁assess ▁the ▁extent ▁of ▁the ▁problem . ▁They ▁need ▁to ▁answer ▁the ▁‘ where ’ ▁and ▁‘ how ▁big ’ ▁questions