Comments on: Should Evaluators Share Statistical Results During Evaluation Conferences?

By: Karen Anderson

Karen Anderson — Mon, 21 May 2012 02:56:47 +0000

I like this piece “…if your results aren’t interesting, don’t share them. Instead, focus on your evaluation approach.” At least be excited about presenting them if you choose to share.
I also like when challenges and the “what did you learn” pieces are included to help me to possibly avoid certain instances.
During an evaluation presentation I also want to know how the evaluator connected with their stakeholders on various levels, and what methods they used for engagement. I like hearing about the overall process and I am assuming that they used rigor when conducting the evaluation. I’d like to hear some results, but with a good balance regarding the process.

By: Ann K. Emery

Ann K. Emery — Sun, 20 May 2012 12:43:42 +0000

Hi Susan,
The first idea that comes to mind is something I learned in Michael Quinn Patton’s pre-conference workshop last November. During the planning phases, he talks to the intended users about all the potential results of the evaluation. How will they respond and jump into action depending on the different numbers? For example, if the evaluation shows X, then the group will do Y. But if the results show A, then the group will do B instead.
I’ve had a lot of success with this strategy because it sets the tone for use early. When the results are ready, the group is ready to make changes based directly on that data.
If I were sharing these examples in a conference presentation, I still wouldn’t share any numbers with the audience…
I’d love to hear your ideas too. Thanks for reading!
Ann

By: sjkistler

sjkistler — Sun, 20 May 2012 09:59:18 +0000

One further challenge is showing results in relation to evaluation use. Under the guise of use, we often see presentations that are basically results reports. Use is such a fundamentally important topic, any suggestions for helping presenters to make the leap to demonstrating use, and focusing the presentation on leveraging results for use for the eval audience?

By: Ann K. Emery

Ann K. Emery — Sun, 20 May 2012 00:20:06 +0000

Agata, Ann, and Jane,
Thanks for sharing your ideas! It’s helpful to have a variety of perspectives as I think through the best way that we should (and shouldn’t) be sharing results when we’re presenting to other evaluators.
Thanks again,
Ann

By: getrealevaluation

getrealevaluation — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:16:59 +0000

Great question, Ann!
I think one of the key things to remember is that it’s an *evaluation* conference, not a conference about the content area/program type.
As such, the audience is interested in how you grappled with difficult evaluation issues, how you presented things in a compelling way that enhanced understanding, why you opted for one evaluation approach over another, that sort of thing – NOT whether the program was any good or not.
Jane Davidson

By: socialdimensions

socialdimensions — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:14:32 +0000

I think results are important because they validate that the evaluation methods are sensitive enough to distinguish between programs / interventions that work and those that don’t (and all of the grey areas in between). An entertaining story does make a memorable conference experience but it does not necessarily promote better evaluation practice. However, I completely agree that an evaluation conference is not the time to go painful through painful step of the findings of an evaluation of a project of no relevance to the audience.
Thanks for nudging me to respond.