Evaluations are useful when their results are acted upon. The primary audience needs to be identified at the outset and engaged in the whole process, in order to ensure that their needs and interests are met to the finest degree possible.
This will increase the possibility that the evaluation results will be considered for the purposes they were originally intended.
It is important to answer questions about the evaluation:
- What will the findings be used for?
- What decisions will they feed into?
- How will the findings be shared and disseminated?
Along with the publication of the evaluation results it is important to consider how these will be presented and to whom.
Will there be one long report, an executive summary, a technical report, and/ or presentations, what communication means will be used? Will it be on-line, off-line or via social media?
Different audiences are receptive to different communication means and approaches. A differentiated communication strategy needs to be designed and applied to increase the impact of the evaluation findings. If you are externally commissioning the evaluation, you will need to specify the format of the report and any presentations at the time of commissioning.
