Social Construction of Reality - Bad Request

eginning an evaluation this way serves to “engender commitments to both evaluation
and use” (p. 21). Emphasis on the collaborative relationship between and among the
evaluator and stakeholders empowers stakeholders to interact and learn from one another.
As a result, Lencioni’s (2002) premise that a team can and should work to integrate
members’ values, needs, and beliefs is addressed. Patton deems such integrative benefits
“process use” of the evaluation and explains “being engaged in the evaluation can be
useful quite apart from the findings that may emerge from the process” (p. 88).
Once the stakeholders are identified and the groundwork for the evaluation is set,
Patton (1997) argues it is necessary for the evaluator to facilitate the focusing of the
evaluation. He cites numerous ways to go about this, and specifically elaborates on four
mechanisms: a) focus on future decisions; b) focus on critical issues or concerns; c) focus
on responsive approach; and d) focus on questions (pp. 184-185). The importance of
working with stakeholders to focus the evaluation merits further emphasis. Patton
explains:
Focusing an evaluation means dealing with several basic concerns.
What is the purpose of the evaluation? How will the information be used?
What will we know after the evaluation that we don’t know now? What actions
will we be able to take based on evaluation findings? …As evaluators and
primary users interact around these questions, the evaluation takes shape (pp.189-
190).
In a UFE design, stakeholder involvement is paramount. Once focused,
appropriate methods must be vetted and mutually agreed upon. When the findings are
aggregated, the evaluator must then facilitate stakeholders in the analysis and
28