Utilization-Focused Evaluation (UFE)

I mentioned Utilization-Focused Evaluation (UFE) in my writing about responding to the challenges of evaluation anxiety (https://hnineilwinnotes.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-psychology-of-evaluation-from-exam.html). Following up on that post, I want to share more about utilization-focused evaluation as discussed in the publication by Intrac.

The primary goal of UFE is to enhance the likelihood that evaluation findings will be actively used to inform decision-making and/or improve program performance. 

UFE is grounded in two key principles. First, the primary intended users of the evaluation must be precisely specified and actively involved from the outset, ensuring that their specific needs and intended uses are understood. Second, the evaluation process must be shaped by these intended uses, with all methodological and procedural decisions aligned to support them. Since UFE emphasizes specific users and practical applications, the evaluator’s role is not to make decisions independently but to facilitate decision-making collaboratively with those who will use the findings.

Ideally, all evaluations should be utilization-focused; otherwise, their value is limited. However, implementing UFE also presents challenges, including the need for flexibility, sufficient time, and active engagement with the primary intended users.

Link to the document: https://www.intrac.org/app/uploads/2017/01/Utilisation-focused-evaluation.pdf

Hnin Ei Lwin
#Monitoring #Evaluation #Reporting #Research #MEARL
#social #development #humanitarian #publichealth