Escaping the Tunnel: How Formative Evaluation Complements Performance Audit to Improve Decision Navigation

Abstract This article suggests that there is a problem of inconsistency related to the navigational messaging of performance audit and evaluations and that this can lead to outright misdirection. Two real case examples show the problem, and in both cases show how enlightened formative evaluations can suggest strategic, tactical and operational lessons which in some instances provide distinctly different decision navigation messages from audits. The intent is to show—using actual cases—how formative evaluations can help decision‐makers to establish the worth of program, policy and initiative investments—as well as to learn how to improve them.