ABSTRACT
The evaluation findings suggest that the task-oriented workshops were effective, and that the evaluation methodology did produce findings that are comparable and generalizable. The evaluation of the two workshops was based on the notion that in order to generate reliable data, it is necessary to have clearly stated participation goals and objectives and a way to indicate a relationship between their achievement and the participation being assessed. Most participation evaluations talk about success or failure based on criteria related to the opportunity to participate, the quality of information exchanged, the representativeness of the participants, or even the stated satisfaction of the participants. Yet if public officials and citizens are to make the most of any policy-making relationship, it will be necessary to develop an evaluation approach that generates knowledge about participation effectiveness. The workshops could be evaluated using another approach, and the "user-oriented" methodology could be used to evaluate other than task-oriented workshops.
