Introductory slides on Utilization Focused Evaluation (UFE) that I presented to the ROER4D team (http://roer4d.org/) on 22 September 2014 as part of the project's evaluation process.

1. UFE step-by-step:
an introduction
Modified from slides by:
Joaquín Navas & Ricardo Ramírez (December 2009)
By Sarah Goodier
ROER4D Evaluation Advisor

2. Project evaluation is…
Systematic collection of information about the:
- activities,
- characteristics and
- results
of project

3. Project evaluation is…
Systematic collection of information about the:
- activities,
- characteristics and
- results
of project to make:
- judgments about the project,
- improve or further develop project effectiveness,
- inform decisions about future programming,
and/or
- increase understanding

4. A collaborative approach means…
• Maintenance of an ongoing focus on LEARNING.
• Clarification of ROLES and EXPECTATIONS.
• Creation of spaces for DIALOGUE.
• JOINT FOCUS on all issues being investigated.
• Attention to the VALIDATION of findings.
• Joint INTERPRETATION of results.

5. Utilization focused evaluation is…
A decision-making framework for
enhancing the utility and actual use
of evaluations.
(Patton, 2008a: slide 9)

6. Utilization focused evaluation is…
A decision-making framework for
enhancing the utility and actual use
of evaluations.
(Patton, 2008a: slide 9)

7. Utilization focused evaluation is…
A PROCESS for helping primary
intended users (PIUs) select the most
appropriate content, model,
methods, theory and uses for their
particular situation.

8. Utilization focused evaluation is…
Evaluation done for and with
specific, intended primary USERS
(= PIUs)
for specific, intended USES.

9. What are uses?
“USES” refers to the way real people
in the real world APPLY evaluation
findings and experience the
evaluation PROCESS.
(Patton, 2008a: slide 9)

10. Uses in ROER4D: think about
How would we APPLY evaluation
findings in ROER4D?
How can the evaluation PROCESS
help us?

11. Utilization focused evaluation is…
1. Evaluations should be JUDGED by their utility and ACTUAL USE.
2. No evaluation should go forward unless and until there are primary
intended users who will use the information that can be produced.
3. Primary intended users are involved in the process.
4. Evaluation is part of initial program design. The primary intended users
want information to help answer a question or questions.
5. Evaluator’s role is to help intended users clarify their purpose and
objectives.
6. Implications for use are part of every decision throughout the
evaluation – it is the driving force of the evaluation process. (Patton,
2008a)

12. UFE in 12 steps:
1. Assessing program readiness
2. Assessing evaluator readiness
3. Identifying primary intended users
4. Situational analysis
5. Identification of primary intended uses
6. Focusing the evaluation
7. Evaluation design
8. Simulation of use
9. Data collection
10. Data analysis
11. Facilitation of use
12. Meta evaluation

13. Comments/Questions?
Image by OpenSourceWay available on Flickr under a CC-BY-SA license

14. References
Navas, J. and Ramírez, R. (2009). Facilitating UFE step-by-step: a
process guide for evaluators (Module 1: Steps 1-3 of UFE
checklist). Available online at: http://evaluationinpractice.files.
wordpress.com/2010/02/ufe_steps1to3.ppt.
Navas, J. and Ramírez, R. (2009). Facilitating UFE step-by-step: a
process guide for evaluators (Module 2: Steps 4-6 of UFE
checklist). Available online at: http://evaluationinpractice.
files.wordpress.com/2011/08/sleva2ufe_steps4to6.ppt
Patton, M. Q. (2008). Utilization focused evaluation. Presentation
to the AEA.
Ramírez, R. and Brodhead, D. (2013). Utilization focused
evaluation: a primer for evaluators. Southbound, Penang.
Available online at: http://evaluationinpractice.files.wordpress.
com/2013/04/ufeenglishprimer.pdf

15. Thank you
Excluding
images,
screenshots
and logos
and/or
unless
otherwise
indicated on
content