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

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.