Utilization-Focused Evaluation

Michael Quinn Patton is author of more than a dozen books on evaluation including Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods, 4th ed (2015), Blue Marble Evaluation (2020), Principles-Focused Evaluation (2018), Facilitating Evaluation (2018) and Developmental Evaluation (2011). Based in Minnesota, he was on the faculty of the University of Minnesota for 18 years and is a former president of the American Evaluation Association (AEA). Michael is a recipient of the Alva and Gunnar Myrdal Evaluation Practice Award, the Paul F. Lazarsfeld Evaluation Theory Award, and the Research on Evaluation Award, all from AEA He has also received the Lester F. Ward Distinguished Contribution to Applied and Clinical Sociology Award from the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology. In 2021 he received the first Transformative Evaluator Award from EvalYouth. He is an active speaker, trainer, and workshop presenter who has conducted applied research and evaluation on a broad range of issues and has worked with organizations and programs at the international, national, state, provincial, and local levels. Michael has three children—a musician, an engineer, and an evaluator—and four grandchildren. When not evaluating, he enjoys exploring the woods and rivers of Minnesota, where he lives. Charmagne Campbell-Patton is second-generation evaluator and twelfth generation European settler based in Mnisota Makoce. Her professional experience spans fifteen years of program design, implementation and evaluation work across a range of fields, including youth engagement, education, criminal and juvenile justice and philanthropy. She specializes in qualitative research methods and utilization-focused developmental evaluation. Charmagne holds a BA in Political Science from Grinnell College and an MA in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from American University’s School of International Service. She has authored several articles and blog posts, but this is her first book. A global citizen with deep local roots, Charmagne resides near the Mississippi River on Dakota land in Minneapolis with her husband, two young children and cat.

Part 1: What Utilization-Focused Evaluation Is and Why It Matters
1. The What, Why, How, Who, Where, And When Of Utilization-Focused Evaluation
2. The Essence Of Utilization-Focused Evaluation Expressed As Minimum Specifications
3. Utilization-Focused Evaluative Thinking
4. The High Stakes Of Evaluation Use, Nonuse And Misuse
Part 2: Utilization-Focused Evaluation Principles
5. Guide To Utilization-Focused Evaluation Principles
6. Contextualize U-Fe Operating Principle 1
7. Personalize U-Fe Operating Principle 2
8. Customize U-Fe Operating Principle 3
9. Align U-Fe Operating Principle 4
10. Prioritize U-Fe Operating Principle 5
11. Engage Users U-Fe Operating Principle 6
12. Strategize Process Use U-Fe Operating Principle 7
13. Adapt U-Fe Operating Principle 8
14. Mobilize Follow Through U-Fe Operating Principle 9
15. Reflect And Learn U-Fe Operating Principle 10
Part 3: Review and Conclusion
16. Learning Breakthroughs In Applying Utilization-Focused Evaluation Principles
17. The High Stakes Of Evaluative Thinking And Reality-Testing
18. Using Evaluation To Contribute To A More Equitable And Sustainable World
19. Evaluation For Transformation
Part 4: Review
20. Utilization-Focused Evaluation For Transformation: Toward A More Thoughtful, Equitable, And Sustainable World