Illuminative evaluation of user education programmes

This paper describes the adoption of an evaluation strategy—‘illuminative evaluation’—by a major user education research project, the Travelling Workshops Experiment. It is argued that this project is distinctive in its similarity to curriculum innovation and dissemination projects, and it is suggested that innovative programmes cannot be subjected to preordinate evaluation. The components of illuminative evaluation are examined, and a checklist for the systematization of evaluation is offered.