Below, we briefly explain the meaning of these terms within the government context. This article focuses on the Project Approvals, Delivery, and Evaluation phases, building on a previous article, which covered the Project Development and Project Funding phases.

Project approvals

Environmental impact statements

Project approvals focus on initiatives involving capital works, where approval authorities require the lodgement of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) or Environmental Effects Statements (EES). These documents assess a proposed project's potential environmental, social, and economic impacts. They play a crucial role in the environmental assessment process, helping decision-makers, stakeholders, and the public understand the possible effects of development and identify strategies for managing or mitigating those impacts.

An EIS is typically required for large or complex projects, such as infrastructure projects (e.g., highways, mines, dams) or large-scale industrial developments. It may be triggered by State or Territory planning laws, or, if the project could significantly affect national environmental concerns, by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

An EIS typically includes:

• A description of the proposed development
• An assessment of existing environmental conditions
• Identification of potential impacts (e.g., on biodiversity, water resources, air quality, heritage)
• Mitigation and management measures to reduce negative impacts
• Community consultation outcomes.

Each jurisdiction provides clear guidelines outlining the requirements for EIS submissions from project proponents.

Tip: EIS documents can be highly complex due to the broad range of potential project impacts. The most effective EISs include an integrated summary table that identifies, quantifies and ranks each of the effects, allowing for a clear assessment of the likely overall impact—i.e. whether it is net positive or negative.

Tip: Economic impact analyses which estimate how project delivery affects economic activity levels (as mentioned in the earlier article), can be particularly useful in informing an EIS. They provide insight into how economic impacts extend across local, regional and wider regions, enabling decision-makers to evaluate local job creation and project supply opportunities with broader impacts.

Project delivery

Once the project delivery stage begins, funding and approvals are secured, and implementation moves forward. At this point, analytical techniques shift from being ex ante (before the fact, looking forward) to post ante (after the fact, looking backward) in terms of their focus and perspective.

Process evaluations

A process evaluation in Australian government jurisdictions examines how a program or project is implemented or was implemented. It focuses on assessing whether the initiative was delivered as planned, identifying strengths and weaknesses in its design and execution, and offering insights for improvement.

Often, process evaluations answer the following suite of questions:

• Was the program or project delivered as designed?
• Did it engage the intended target groups?
• How was the program or project adjusted based on context or feedback?
• Were resources used effectively?
• What were the experiences of participants and implementers?

Tip: Process evaluations need to be timely for two reasons. First, make real-time adjustments to programs or projects when things don’t go as planned. Second, to engage with project stakeholders while they accurately recall what’s happening before their expectations evolve.

Monitoring & reporting

While it may seem mundane, monitoring and reporting are essential for engaging various project and program stakeholders and ensuring initiatives stay on course.

Effective monitoring and reporting should:

• Follow a structured plan outlining what data will be collected, how often, and by whom.
• Be based on the key performance indicators (KPIs) identified in the initial project or program logic map (refer to earlier article).
• Include qualitative feedback from stakeholders (internal and external) to uncover the stories behind the data.
• Integrate a risk management approach to identify and address emerging issues promptly.

Tip: Effective monitoring and reporting focus on a few easily tracked key variables, particularly those related to resourcing and outputs. Outcome monitoring, however, is more challenging and typically requires engagement with the intended audiences of the program or project beneficiaries.

Tip: Outcome/impact evaluations depend heavily on substantial data collection and management. Data collection can vary significantly across delivery agencies. Gathering reliable data can become a major challenge without early planning—ideally during the project design phase.

Project evaluation

An outcome/impact evaluation assesses whether a program or project achieved its intended results and how much it made a meaningful difference. It focuses on understanding the effectiveness of a government intervention and the changes it brought about, both short-term (outcomes) and long-term (impacts).

Key questions answered by an outcome/impact evaluation include:

• What is the evidence of the program’s progress toward its objectives and expected outcomes? (effectiveness)
• Has the program been delivered as intended and within its scope, budget, and timeframe? (fidelity)
• Has efficiency been demonstrated in delivering the program? How do the benefits generated compare with program costs? (efficiency)
• Is there evidence of a continued need for the program? (need)
• Is it appropriate for government to be delivering the program? (appropriateness)
• If ongoing funding was provided, what project or program improvements are recommended? (improvement)

Tip: Outcome/impact evaluations rely on qualitative (e.g., stakeholder interviews, focus groups, case studies) and quantitative (e.g., stakeholder surveys, data analysis, cost benefit analysis) techniques. A multidisciplinary project team is usually required to perform a robust outcome/impact evaluation.

These insights aim to support better decision-making. Please reach out if you would like to discuss this further.