The Service Delivery Assessment (SDA) model is a human services evaluation tool which offers a viable alternative to more traditional approaches and is appropriate for small local evaluations as well as large national studies. There are five phases to an SDA study: assignment, pre-assessment, design, analysis, and communication of the findings. Assignments are decided by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Inspector General, and may request answers to highly specific questions or be quite open-ended. During the pre-assessment period, information is gathered about local conditions, and possible contacts, respondents, and site study settings are determined. Because the primary means of gathering information in an SDA study is the one-to-one personal discussion, the design phase focuses on identifying a wide array of people with whom to talk; in addition, SDA teams observe local conditions and activities during this period. The analysis phase is best described as one of consensus building by iterative steps; as information is gathered, trends and patterns emerge and new information is sought that will verify or repudiate investigators' hunches. The final report includes three different types of information--a description of local activities and conditions, a comparison of conditions with standardized or existing criteria, and the interpretations of the SDA team. Six characteristics of the SDA method are provided, as well as suggestions on when to use this approach. Finally, the evaluation of a teacher training summer institute is described to illustrate the application of the SDA model. Two references are appended. (JB)