In evaluation, what went well?

• A. Keep this brief
• B. List every problem
• C. Criticize others
• D. Ignore data quality

Answer: (A)

In evaluation, you want to highlight successes in a concise, positive way. Keeping this brief helps stakeholders quickly grasp what went well and the strengths to build on, without getting lost in a long list of details. A short, focused summary also makes it easier to connect the positives to actionable next steps and to compare performance across different areas.

Listing every problem shifts the focus away from the positives and can overwhelm the reader, making it harder to see what worked well. Criticizing others is unhelpful in a professional evaluation and doesn’t contribute to understanding performance. Ignoring data quality would undermine credibility; even when focusing on strengths, the evidence backing those positives should be reliable, clear, and transparent.