Exam 18: Epilogue

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Two key propositions put forth from the outset of this book: evaluation can (and, to us, should) be used to facilitate critical social change, and these efforts to effect change are best done in partnership with key stakeholders. Evaluation planning should include such goals as improving programs, guiding the use of resources, contributing to policy efforts, enhancing practice, or informing organizational action or system change. In sum, evaluation data should be used to effect social change. It is not just "to know"; it is "to know" and "to do, change, or improve," and the examples throughout this text highlight how that is possible across different settings and contexts.

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Throughout the text, the authors affirm that evaluators must:
Be flexible: Evaluators must be flexible and adaptable--and able to tolerate ambiguity. We must be respectful of and sensitive to varying, or changing, priorities and agendas. We need to understand the larger context and the other potential factors and forces at play.
Build skills for communicating with diverse partners and stakeholders: Sometimes, as an evaluator works across stakeholders, systems, and partners, he or she needs to be skilled at code-switching. That is, we need to be facile with different languages, both in listening to our partners and others and in communicating our thoughts, findings, and recommendations. We would necessarily discuss an evaluation and its findings differently with a group of researchers than we would a nonprofit board of directors or a lay audience--and we should develop materials for dissemination that are targeted appropriately to diverse audiences as well.
Anticipate and prepare for conflict: In the context of our partnerships, we need to expect the inevitable conflicts or disagreements--and even plan for them. These can happen despite the best efforts and intentions of those involved; they can also come up in response to a host of different factors and dynamics. As a matter of practice, it can be helpful to establish processes for resolving disagreements or disputes before they occur; then, the parties have a mechanism through which they can work through the challenge. Particularly on larger scale projects, we find that it greatly facilitates the work of the evaluation to establish a partnership management team or advisory group, with leaders or representatives from salient constituencies. Such a team's regular meetings (often more frequent at the initiation of an effort or at critical time points) can serve as a means for supporting shared decision-making processes, including key voices, helping arbitrate disagreements, and ensuring accountability and progress for the evaluation project overall.
Acknowledge that there will be a tension between rigor and practicality: Evaluators must always consider the data and sources of information that would be helpful and take steps to minimize the burden on a program's intended beneficiaries or staff. In thinking through and planning an evaluation design, a randomized trial can help maximize rigor, but that may not be a tenable option in the context of the program, with the population being served, or in the face of the problem being addressed. In our experiences, the most rigorous possible option is unlikely to be realistic or reasonable, or ethically or politically feasible. Again, decisions about design and evaluation procedures--and their implications--should be discussed among the partners and made jointly.
Recognize that evaluation is not value free: While the data should tell the "story," this work is not value free. Our values influence our choices about the groups with which we work (e.g., based on their missions or areas of focus) and the way we approach evaluation. Our participatory, partnership-based approach and our objective to use evaluation to support social change are grounded in our values as professionals and as people. Some findings will be favorable for our partners, some will look less positive; we unequivocally must report the findings of the evaluation accurately and objectively. Our values drive our emphasis on using those findings to support change. Our values lead us to work passionately to strengthen our local systems, improve programs in our public systems or nonprofit sectors, guide practice, and effect change in policies locally and beyond.