| Session Title: Making Results Relevant: Designing Evaluations Stakeholders Will Value, Understand, and Use |
| Think Tank Session 794 to be held in TRAVIS A on Saturday, Nov 13, 10:55 AM to 12:25 PM |
| Sponsored by the Evaluation Use TIG |
| Presenter(s): |
| Anita Drever, University of Wyoming, adrever@uwyo.edu |
| Discussant(s): |
| Paul St Roseman, Sakhu and Associates, pstroseman@sakhuandassociates.com |
| Javan Ridge, Colorado Springs School District 11, ridgejb@d11.org |
| Abstract: Evaluators aim to impact organizational and policy decisions. However, the currency of our trade—the technical report—in and of itself rarely achieves that end. This think tank will be a forum for evaluators to discuss strategies they have used to communicate the value and utility of their work to practitioners. The following questions will guide our discussion, “How does one present data so that stakeholders not only interpret one’s findings correctly, but also see their value? What report formats or other products have proven most effective with stakeholders? What kinds of collaborative partnerships with clients have been most successful in helping stakeholders to utilize evaluation products and to use evaluation findings for program improvement or program sustainability?" We anticipate these questions will feed into a larger discussion regarding creative ways to improve the quality of our evaluation and help stakeholders get the most from our services. |