Planning an Evaluation That Stakeholders Will Use

Evaluation quality is measured not only by methodological rigour, but also by whether the findings are understood and used.

Agree on intended use early

Clarify who will use the findings, which decisions are approaching, and what level of evidence each audience needs.

Engage without weakening independence

Stakeholders can strengthen context, access, and interpretation while evaluators retain responsibility for evidence and conclusions.

1. Confirm the evaluation purpose and primary users.
2. Prioritise answerable evaluation questions.
3. Choose methods that fit the context and available data.
4. Plan validation and learning sessions before fieldwork begins.

A concise, well-timed report with clear recommendations is more likely to influence action than a long report delivered too late.