Compare methods

	Results-Based Accountability	Summative Evaluation
Field	Public Policy	Public Policy
Family	Process / pipeline	Process / pipeline
Year of origin	2005	1967
Originator	Mark Friedman	Michael Scriven
Type	Performance accountability and measurement framework	Judgement-oriented evaluation function
Seminal source	Friedman, M. (2005). Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough: How to Produce Measurable Improvements for Customers and Communities. Victoria, BC: Trafford Publishing. ISBN: 9781439237861	Scriven, M. (1967). The methodology of evaluation. In R. W. Tyler, R. M. Gagné, & M. Scriven (Eds.), Perspectives of Curriculum Evaluation (pp. 39–83). Chicago: Rand McNally. ISBN: 9780528616600
Aliases	RBA, Outcomes-Based Accountability, OBA, Friedman Results-Based Accountability	Outcome Judgement Evaluation, Accountability Evaluation
Related	4	4
Summary	Results-Based Accountability (RBA), also known as Outcomes-Based Accountability, is a disciplined performance framework developed by Mark Friedman and set out in his 2005 book Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough. It provides a simple, common-sense method for moving from talk about results to measurable action, organised around a sharp distinction between population accountability — the wellbeing of whole populations in a place — and performance accountability — how well a specific program, agency or service is doing. For each, RBA asks the same disciplined set of questions and drives toward concrete actions that 'turn the curve' on key indicators.	Summative evaluation is evaluation conducted to render an overall judgement of a program, policy or product — its merit, worth, effectiveness or impact — typically after it has been implemented or has matured. Named by Michael Scriven in his 1967 essay 'The Methodology of Evaluation' as the counterpart to formative evaluation, its purpose is to inform consequential decisions: whether to continue, expand, replicate, defund or certify an intervention. It addresses the bottom-line question 'did it work, and was it worth it?' for audiences such as funders, policymakers and the public.