Trailing Research

Abstract

Trailing research is a model for evaluation aiming at enhancing use. The model integrates formative and summative evaluation in a planned learning process coupled with producing knowledge for the scientific community. Formative and summative activities are built into an action research model to enhance the immediate use of evaluation findings. The underlying idea of trailing research is to combine pragmatic evaluation activity with reflection processes. In this paper we describe how trailing research was applied to evaluate a Norwegian public program supporting business development. A major challenge in evaluations is to produce credible results. Trailing research had no trouble producing credible results for stakeholders involved in the program. A small number of external stakeholders not engaged in the evaluation activity were more unwilling to accept its results or grant it credibility. External stakeholders who shared the learning process, however, had few problems in granting it credibility.