At which stage does Evaluation typically begin in the PR process?

At which stage does Evaluation typically begin in the PR process?

• A. Research/planning stage
• B. End of campaign
• C. During the implementation phase
• D. After the campaign analysis

Answer: (A)

Evaluation begins in the research/planning stage because that’s when you define what success looks like, set clear objectives, and decide which metrics will measure impact. Establishing baselines and data collection methods at this point gives you a framework to monitor progress as tactics roll out and to judge outcomes against predefined criteria later. Without this upfront planning, you’d be steering by hindsight rather than having a structured measurement plan, which makes it hard to determine true impact. Data collection and analysis occur during implementation and after, but the starting point for evaluation is set during planning.

Evaluation begins in the research/planning stage because that’s when you define what success looks like, set clear objectives, and decide which metrics will measure impact. Establishing baselines and data collection methods at this point gives you a framework to monitor progress as tactics roll out and to judge outcomes against predefined criteria later. Without this upfront planning, you’d be steering by hindsight rather than having a structured measurement plan, which makes it hard to determine true impact. Data collection and analysis occur during implementation and after, but the starting point for evaluation is set during planning.