The personal factor in evaluation use: A case study of a steering committee's use of a conservation tillage survey

In 1985 a statewide farmer survey about conservation tillage was conducted. It provided baseline data for a major energy conservation project. The data were used for 2 years, at which time a case study was undertaken to identify factors which influenced the tillage survey's use. The influence o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Evaluation and program planning 1990, Vol.13 (4), p.389-394
Main Authors: Rockwell, S.Kay, Dickey, Elbert C., Jasa, Paul J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult Farmer Education
Advisory Committees
Case Studies
Conservation Education
Conservation Tillage Survey
Decision Making
Evaluation Utilization
Evaluators
Farmers
Followup Studies
Influences
Interpersonal Relationship
Knowledge Utilization
Methodology (Data Collection)
Nebraska
Program Evaluation
Rural Extension
Stakeholder Evaluation
State Programs
Statewide Planning
Surveys
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Summary:In 1985 a statewide farmer survey about conservation tillage was conducted. It provided baseline data for a major energy conservation project. The data were used for 2 years, at which time a case study was undertaken to identify factors which influenced the tillage survey's use. The influence of the personal factor on evaluation use had been identified prior to planning the tillage survey. Therefore, the process used for conducting the tillage survey capitalized on the personal factor by using a team approach. The case study identified ways intended users actually used the tillage survey results, associated these findings with the team strategy, and generated important factors contributing to evaluation use when the personal factor was accounted for. Factors supporting the personal factor which appear to have influenced use were timeliness, intended users' ownership of the information, interaction among decision makers and the evaluator, methodological appropriateness and quality, and planning for use of the results.
ISSN:0149-7189
DOI:10.1016/0149-7189(90)90024-Q