Tip Sheet: A Practitioner's Guide to Program Models

A program model offers a visual roadmap that illustrates the intended destination of a program and identifies how practitioners can get there. Program models describe the key elements of an intervention, including what it takes to implement it, the intended results it should have in the short and longer term, and any external factors that might influence implementation. Multiple groups can use a program model for different purposes, including practitioners, program or curriculum developers, policy makers, and researchers. Program models can serve as useful tools for these audiences throughout a program’s lifecycle, including to support planning, monitoring, and/or evaluating the program. This tip sheet describes for practitioners what a program model is, how one can be used, and some examples of how to use a program model in the context of a specific youth program. It includes a checklist that guides practitioners through planning, monitoring, and evaluating a program.