Writing Things That No One Will Read

Most people write with the assumption, or at least the hope, that someone will read what they have written.  After all, why else would you write? OK, journaling is an exception. Apparently, I am another exception.  Well, it's not just me, but evaluators everywhere.

We collect data.  We analyze it.  We develop detailed and compelling reports about program successes and failures.  Well, maybe they are not always that compelling, but they are detailed, and they do take a lot of energy and effort to produce.

We submit them with pride, congratulating ourselves on another job well done.  And then we wait.  And we wait.  What are we waiting for?  We are waiting for feedback that never comes. We are waiting for evidence that someone - anyone - has actually read the report.

About seven times out of ten, we wait in vain.  Our reports get submitted to the powers that be who check off the box that says, "report submitted" and everyone goes on with their lives.

On a rare occasion, I'll have a client who reviews the report and submits suggestions for corrections or changes.  On an even rarer occasion, I'll have a client who actually wants to get together to discuss my findings and talk about how they can be used to improve the program. Those are giddy and heady times for me, believe me.

Usually, however, that's not the case.  People just wait impatiently, and I can hear the virtual sound of the tapping of feet as they apply the pressure to finish faster so they can turn it in and get the box checked off. Sometimes the pressure is not so subtle.  They'll call and say, "What's taking so long?" And then they stop short, but I can tell they want to say, "No one is going to read it anyway."

You want to know why it takes so long?  It takes a long time because data analysis is a complex task.  It takes a long time because I have some integrity and I take pride in my work, even when I know no one will read it.  It takes a long time because I have been hired to do a good job, so I do. True, yours is probably not the only project on my desk, but that doesn't mean that I and my staff are not giving it the attention it deserves.

Staying motivated to do a good job when you know that no one cares is not always easy, but there is always someone who knows.  Who?

Me.

No matter who else reads the report, I still have to look myself in the mirror each day. I care.


And that matters.


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