NCJ Number
61639
Journal
Evaluation and Program Planning Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (1979) Pages: 59-66
Date Published
1979
Length
7 pages
Annotation
PROJECT EVALUATION AND REVIEW TECHNIQUE (PERT) IS USED TO EVALUATE THE COMMUNITY PLACEMENT PROCEDURES IN AN INSTITUTION FOR THE RETARDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF TESTING PERT'S USE WITH SUCH PROGRAMS.
Abstract
PERT ENABLES PROGRAM MANAGERS TO PLAN THE MOVEMENT TOWARD PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND MONITOR THE PROGRESS MADE TOWARD OBTAINING OBJECTIVES AT ANY POINT IN TIME. A PERT ANALYSIS IDENTIFIES A NETWORK OF ACTIVITIES, THEIR CONSEQUENCES, AND THE TIME NEEDED FOR EACH ACTIVITY. ANALYSIS OF THE PERT NETWORK AND THE TIME ESTIMATES FOR VARIOUS ACTIVITIES PROVIDES INFORMATION TO EVALUATE A NETWORK'S ABILITY TO MEET TIME-LIMITED PROGRAM OBJECTIVES. POTENTIAL PROCESS CHANGES TO INCREASE NETWORK EFFICIENCY ARE IDENTIFIED BY PINPOINTING SEQUENTIAL ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE PERFORMED CONCURRENTLY AND BY LOCATING ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE STREAMLINED. IN THE CASE DECRIBED, PERT WAS USED TO ASSESS THE PROGRAM OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING UNIT AT A LARGE INSTITUTION FOR THE RETARDED. THE PROGRAM OBJECTIVE WAS TO TRAIN AND PLACE 82 RETARDED RESIDENTS INTO VARIOUS COMMUNITY SETTINGS DURING THE 1975-1977 BIENNIUM. SINCE THE SITUATION INDICATED A NEED FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CURRENT PROCEDURES AND NEEDED PROCEDURAL CHANGES, PERT WAS USED. THE STUDY ASCERTAINED THE STEPS TAKEN BY RESIDENTS FROM ENTRANCE INTO THE UNIT TO ENTRANCE INTO THE COMMUNITY. PERT NETWORKS FOR VOCATIONAL STEPS AND LIVING (COTTAGE) STEPS WERE MADE FOR TWO RESIDENT POPULATION SAMPLES: (1) RESIDENTS PLACED INTO THE COMMUNITY AND MONITORED BY THE UNIT, AND (2) RESIDENTS RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM THE PERSONS ASSIGNED TO THE UNIT ON AUGUST 31, 1975. THE LITERATURE RECOMMENDS THE USE OF PERT FOR ANY NEW OR NOVEL PROJECT HAVING LIMITED TIME OR MONEY RESOURCES. BASED UPON THE RESULTS ON THIS STUDY, TWO ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS SEEM APPROPRIATE: (1) THE LARGE NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS GENERATED INDICATES THAT PERT CAN BE HELPFUL FOR DEFINING POORLY UNDERSTOOD PROCESSES AND EVALUATING THE CAPABILITY OF THOSE PROCESSES TO MEET TIME-LIMITED OBJECTIVES; AND (2) PERT-DERIVED INFORMATION HAS CONSIDERABLE VALUE AT THE CASE REVIEW LEVEL, AS KNOWLEDGE OF WAYS IN WHICH CLIENTS OBTAIN SERVICES CAN PROVIDE DATA FOR ANALYZING PROGRESS OF INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.