Current and developing conceptions of use: Evaluation use TIG survey results

TLDR

The authors surveyed Evaluation Use Topical Interest Group members to assess their perceptions and experiences with evaluation use. The survey involved sending a questionnaire to 530 TIG members and collecting responses to analyze evaluation use practices. Surveying 530 TIG members (54% response rate), the authors found that participants view evaluation mainly as a means for organizational learning, decision‑making, program improvement, and merit assessment, and identified early planning, stakeholder engagement, and clear communication as essential strategies for facilitating use, noting that participatory and learning‑focused evaluations are now viewed as more important than a decade ago.

Abstract

This article presents the results of a survey sent to Evaluation Use Topical Interest Group (TIG) members for the purpose of ascertaining their perceptions about and experiences with evaluation use. Fifty-four percent (n = 282) of the 530 members surveyed responded. These respondents agree that the major purposes of evaluation are to facilitate organizational learning, provide information for decision making, improve programs, and determine the merit or worth of the evaluand. Performance-results oriented evaluations, formative evaluations, as well as evaluations with a participatory emphasis, organizational learning emphasis, and practitioner-centered action research or empowerment approaches were all viewed as more important today than they were 10 years ago. Survey findings revealed that the most important strategies for facilitating use are planning for use at the beginning of an evaluation, edentifying and prioritizing intended users and intended uses of the evaluation, designing the evaluation within resource limitations, involving stakeholders in the evaluation process, communicating findings to stakeholders as the evaluation progresses, and developing a communication and reporting plan. This survey represents a comprehensive effort to understand TIG respondents' views on evaluation use and should help further discussion on developing and advancing our theoretical and practical knowledge.