Intended Users

Evaluations have many potential stakeholders and audiences. The concept of intended users moves from the general, passive concepts of stakeholders and audiences to specific and active focus on actual primary intended users and their commitments to concrete uses. Intended users are those who have the responsibility to apply findings and implement recommendations. In working with intended users, the evaluator facilitates [Page 206]judgment and decision making by specific people. The values and questions of intended users inform and guide the evaluation. In this way, evaluation use can be planned for and facilitated with those who have real interest in and responsibility for evaluation use.