Indicators of buy-in to gauge evaluation success

Abstract

In order for novice evaluators to gauge the success of their evaluations, the ability to identify and recognize indicators of buy-in is an essential skill. While much is written in the evaluation literature about strategies to build buy-in, the indicators of buy-in are largely overlooked. This article shares strategies used for building buy-in from a multi-state evaluation of cardiac care. Indicators of the success of these strategies are then shared with an emphasis on simple, unobtrusive, robust measures that novice evaluators can use to assess stakeholder engagement and responsiveness. Four indicators of buy-in include: timeliness to evaluation team requests; quality and quantity of feedback received; interaction with decision-makers; and investment of in-kind contributions. Awareness of these indicators can boost confidence and authority for students who are new to the field of evaluation. A tracking tool is also showcased which serves as a systematic, responsive prompt to monitor buy-in. The value of the tracking tool is realized in its ability to alert evaluators to potential problems for which corrective actions can be made, assist evaluators in creating realistic expectations, and enhance confidence in evaluation proceedings.