Working with evaluation stakeholders: A rationale, step-wise approach and toolkit

In the broad field of evaluation, the importance of stakeholders is often acknowledged and different categories of stakeholders are identified. Far less frequent is careful attention to analysis of stakeholders’ interests, needs, concerns, power, priorities, and perspectives and subsequent application of that knowledge to the design of evaluations. This article is meant to help readers understand and apply stakeholder identification and analysis techniques in the design of credible evaluations that enhance primary intended use by primary intended users. While presented using a utilization-focused-evaluation (UFE) lens, the techniques are not UFE-dependent. The article presents a range of the most relevant techniques to identify and analyze evaluation stakeholders. The techniques are arranged according to their ability to inform the process of developing and implementing an evaluation design and of making use of the evaluation's findings.