Communicating and Reporting: Practices and Concerns of Internal and External Evaluators

Abstract

This study investigated internal and external evaluators' practices and concerns about communicating and reporting evaluation findings. Approximately three-quarters (72%) of a random sample of American Evaluation Association members responded to a survey on this topic. Most of those responding: (1) adhere to traditional reporting formats; (2) are only moderately satisfied with their communicating and reporting efforts; (3) found that insufficient time and political/organizational complexity impedes success in communicating and reporting; and (4) describe effective practice as typically entailing high stakeholder involvement. Internal evaluation was found to be not only equally as prevalent as external evaluation, but different in relation to certain communication and reporting practices.