Which of the following is an example of formative evaluation in public health programming?

• A. Usability testing and service utilization tracking.
• B. Randomized controlled trial measuring final outcomes.
• C. Final impact evaluation after program ends.
• D. Budget impact analysis.

Answer: (A)

Formative evaluation is about learning what works while a program is being developed or rolled out, so adjustments can be made to improve design and delivery. Usability testing checks how real users interact with the program and reveals friction points, while service utilization tracking shows whether the intended population is actually using the services and in what way. This information feeds iterative improvements before and during full-scale implementation. The other approaches focus on outcomes after the program is completed or on costs, not on informing adjustments during development: a randomized controlled trial measuring final outcomes examines effectiveness at the end; a final impact evaluation after program ends is summative; budget impact analysis looks at costs rather than program design or delivery.