Communicating Evaluation in an Age of Scrutiny: How Narrative Can Build Trust

With public dollars facing increasing scrutiny, it’s crucial to effectively communicate the impact of the programs we evaluate. Effective communication can be as essential as methodology in building trust and credibility. The field of evaluation is at a critical point, requiring practitioners to reflect on how we tell the story of impact to communities, organizations, and decision-makers. This session will reexamine traditional assumptions about communications, discuss best practices for engaging audiences, and explore ways to build trust with evaluation partners and evidence users. By adopting more intentional and agile communication strategies, evaluators can better translate the impact of their work in ever-changing contexts. This session will both share strategic approaches and tactics for dynamic, multi-purpose communication tactics and engage attendees in a discussion on advancing the field’s messaging. Participants will gain valuable insights and practical tools to enhance their communications strategies for translating the impact of evaluation.