Lessons learned from evaluation: a platform for sharing knowledge

Lessons presented in evaluation reports are often of highly variable quality and limited
utility. They are “often platitudes borne of a felt need to demonstrate engagement in the
‘knowledge society’ or simply to satisfy the specified evaluation requirements”. Even
where high quality lessons are developed, they are seldom communicated effectively to
their intended audiences. In order to enhance the quality of lessons, improve their
utilisation, and aid their dissemination and communication, a Framework of Lessons from
Evaluation is presented in this paper. The framework consists of common problems,
issues and or constraints to which evaluation lessons relate using ‘Mind- mapping’
software and ‘problem tree’ techniques. Evaluation lessons were systematically classified
within the resulting Framework of Lessons. The proposed framework of evaluation
lessons is best used within the context of interactive ‘face-to-face’ communication with
project / programme managers to ensure that evaluation lessons truly become ‘lessons
learned’.