Beyond the final report: What does It take to communicate evaluation well?
A very interesting and timely topic. The contributions are very interesting and complementary to each other. It is widely agreed that communication must be integrated at the beginning and throughout the evaluation process to identify, collect, and leverage all appropriate materials, tools, resources, and channels to effectively reach the end-users of the evaluation results. The ultimate goal is to increase the use of these results to support decision-making and promote or support changes or innovation, whether disruptive or in continuity with the evaluated project.
Diversity of needs among potential users, and dissatisfaction with or difficulties in accessing certain evaluation products
The primary recipients are very often the funders and project partners, obviously to fulfill the project's accountability and learning obligations. Although well-conducted evaluation reports help to satisfy this category recipients, there is often dissatisfaction related either to the quality of the information shared, the way in which it is shared, or the medium or channels used for sharing. Within this category, there are also subcategories whose needs and constraints differ as already mentionned by previous contributors.
The other stakeholders in the project (service providers, NGOs, CSOs, beneficiaries and their representatives), although often mentioned as potential users of the evaluation, actually benefit from few evaluation products tailored to their needs. When they are only considered at the end of the process, some results and evidence that could have been shared with them through concise but precise messages may turn out to be incomplete or unvalidated in the previous stages, or lack robustness.
How to better integrate the needs of evaluation users? It is crucial to integrate the communication objective and plan at the very beginning of the evaluation, particularly in the Terms of Reference (ToRs). This implies, among other things:
clearly identifying the expected users of the evaluation results while specifying what types of information might interest them and in what formats and through which channels;
identifying the necessary materials and information early on;
integrating these concerns and the associated deliverables into the evaluation's Terms of Reference (TORs) with the responsibilities of each party, so that they can be taken into account throughout the evaluation process.
Beyond the detailed information to be provided in the main evaluation report, this will also have the advantage of allowing evaluators to seize every opportunity during interviews with stakeholders to collect key information useful for formulating key messages and communicating concisely, accurately, and effectively on lessons learned, successes, areas for improvement or opportunities for leveraging best practices, and future prospects.
Boosting the use of evaluation products
In addition to the conventional products (reports, summaries, etc.) and networks often used (professional network, websites, etc.), it is necessary to develop a variety of specific products adapted to the different recipients as specified in the TORs.
Social media tools and new communication channels should be considered, particularly in the African context where there is a significant impact of emerging influencers, opinion leaders and innovative information-sharing platforms.
Agencies could build and rely on a database of well-identified and sensitized influencers and opinion leaders capable of sharing short video, photo, and infographic content targeting points of interest. These channels can
Prevent or manage the risks associated to certain evaluation products. Developing concise products (short videos, policy briefs, etc.) involves certain risks. There is a real challenge in successfully delivering a concise, precise, and balanced message that does not overemphasize positive results, that does not focus too much on criticism, that does not incriminate but informs about successes and clearly points out the lessons learned, the improvements to be made, and the ways to achieve them.
RE: Beyond the final report: What does it take to communicate evaluation well?
Belgium
AIME LANDRY DONGMO
Senior Evaluation Specialist, FAO
Posted on 10/11/2025
Beyond the final report: What does It take to communicate evaluation well?
A very interesting and timely topic. The contributions are very interesting and complementary to each other.
It is widely agreed that communication must be integrated at the beginning and throughout the evaluation process to identify, collect, and leverage all appropriate materials, tools, resources, and channels to effectively reach the end-users of the evaluation results. The ultimate goal is to increase the use of these results to support decision-making and promote or support changes or innovation, whether disruptive or in continuity with the evaluated project.
Diversity of needs among potential users, and dissatisfaction with or difficulties in accessing certain evaluation products
How to better integrate the needs of evaluation users?
It is crucial to integrate the communication objective and plan at the very beginning of the evaluation, particularly in the Terms of Reference (ToRs). This implies, among other things:
Beyond the detailed information to be provided in the main evaluation report, this will also have the advantage of allowing evaluators to seize every opportunity during interviews with stakeholders to collect key information useful for formulating key messages and communicating concisely, accurately, and effectively on lessons learned, successes, areas for improvement or opportunities for leveraging best practices, and future prospects.
Boosting the use of evaluation products
These channels can
Prevent or manage the risks associated to certain evaluation products.
Developing concise products (short videos, policy briefs, etc.) involves certain risks. There is a real challenge in successfully delivering a concise, precise, and balanced message that does not overemphasize positive results, that does not focus too much on criticism, that does not incriminate but informs about successes and clearly points out the lessons learned, the improvements to be made, and the ways to achieve them.