Evaluation is an essential management tool. Many museum leaders wrestle with core questions about their institution's programmatic direction. Clearly museums need data and evaluation to guide such sensitive internal decision making. Boards, administrators and staff all should demand evidence of success if resources are to be diverted to new uses. Realigning staff and reallocating financial resources are far more palatable when supported by evidence that investments in the community are making a noticeable difference.
Evaluation is central to the series of questions that dominate today's evolving museum.
Museum management must be aware of these questions. Evaluation has never been more important and must be embraced and understood by trustees, administration and staff. Like many grantsmkaing organizations, IMLS has embarked on a gradual program of outcomes training for its staff as well as grantees. We believe it is essential to build our own capacity for learning and evaluation to be more responsive to grantees' needs. The museum profession as a whole might, likewise, begin the internal training that makes evaluation a professional habit.