---
title: DigitalOcean Evaluations Concepts
description: Explanations and definitions of core concepts in Evaluations.
product: Evaluations
url: https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/evaluations/concepts/
last_updated: "2026-10-12"
---

> **For AI agents:** The documentation index is at [https://docs.digitalocean.com/llms.txt](https://docs.digitalocean.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of pages use the same URL with `index.html.md` in place of the HTML page (for example, append `index.html.md` to the directory path instead of opening the HTML document).

# DigitalOcean Evaluations Concepts

Generated on 14 Oct 2026

DigitalOcean Evaluations measure model, Inference Router, and agent performance using dataset evaluations and simulations.

[DigitalOcean Evaluation Dataset Design Best Practices](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/evaluations/concepts/evaluation-dataset-best-practices/index.html.md): Build representative evaluation datasets with focused test inputs, realistic user language, edge cases, ground truth responses, and consistent test coverage.

[Simulation Best Practices](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/evaluations/concepts/simulations-best-practices/index.html.md): Design effective simulations with focused scenarios, consistent models, representative episodes, and clear evaluation criteria.

[Simulation Scenario Set Best Practices](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/evaluations/concepts/scenario-set-best-practices/index.html.md): Design representative simulation scenario sets with focused goals, realistic personas, clear stopping criteria, and varied conversation paths.

[Dataset Evaluation Best Practices](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/evaluations/concepts/dataset-evaluations-best-practices/index.html.md): Configure repeatable evaluations with reusable presets, focused metrics, consistent evaluation settings, and effective candidate system prompts.