Progress charts summarize months of work in one image. To those outside the field, they can seem too technical. With a few simple questions, anyone can extract what matters from them.

Two types of charts

  • Assessment charts show the results of a protocol, such as the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) or the VB-MAPP, in each administration. They change slowly, from one re-assessment to the next.
  • Plan charts show what happens in sessions, week by week. They change quickly and show if the intervention is working right now.

Reading an assessment chart

  1. Consolidated percentage: how much of the protocol, within the domains assessed, the child can already do. Compare this with the previous administration, not with other children.
  2. By domain: in which areas the child has advanced the most. It is normal for some domains to progress faster than others.
  3. By level: whether the child is consolidating a level or already scoring in the next one.

When a level was not assessed in an administration, it appears as a gap, not as zero. This does not mean regression.

Reading a plan chart

  1. Bars per session: each bar is a session, divided into independent, prompted, and incorrect trials. More green over time is a good sign.
  2. Goal line: shows the success rate of that specific goal across sessions.
  3. Completed steps: each step is a mastered milestone.

What to observe

  • Trend, not an isolated data point. A bad session happens; three stagnant weeks call for a conversation.
  • Decreasing prompts: even without an increase in success, less help is already progress.
  • Behaviors: for behaviors you want to decrease, a falling line is the good news.

Questions to take to a feedback meeting

  • What has advanced the most since our last conversation?
  • Which area is slower and what will change within it?
  • What can we practice at home?

Charts in Proaba

In Proaba, assessment charts show the consolidated percentage, progress by level and by domain, a radar chart comparing administrations, and identified strengths and areas for development. Plan charts show performance by session, by day of the week, and by professional, the progress of each goal, and completed steps. Everything is generated from what the team recorded and can be exported as a PDF for the family.