I’m Kylie Huthinson, AEA Member, Community Solutions consulting firm owner, occasional aea365 contributor, and annual Christmas caroler. Each year, I adapt a carol to share with my clients, and this year – encouraged by a recent discussion of evaluation songs, I made a special one just for aea365.
Hot Tip: Let your clients and stakeholders see the lighter side of you to break down some of the barriers and apprehension that sometimes accompanies thoughts of evaluation.
Rad Resource:
Away in an Report
(sung to the tune of “Away in a Manger”)
Away in a report,
My findings and quotes,
Are lost in the pages
Of what I just wrote.
Conclusions, recommendations,
It’s clearly all there,
But nobody reads it,
No one seems to care.
Now progress is slowing,
The funder awakes,
But programs and staff,
No changes they make.
I love evaluation,
But I wonder why,
Without utilization,
Then why do we try?
We need some innovation,
With reporting today,
Adopt some new techniques,
And use them, I pray.
Bless all thy recommendations,
In our tender care,
Communicate them well,
With rigor and flair.
Happy holidays to one and all.
This contribution is from the aea365 Daily Tips blog, by and for evaluators, from the American Evaluation Association. Please consider contributing – send a note of interest to aea365@eval.org.