Beyond Studying the Visitors: Addressing the Needs of Decision Makers

In this article, Betsy Matyas, Outreach Coordinator at the Boston Nature Center, discusses the importance of evaluation for decision-makers, including sponsors, development team members, board of directors, or any other key individuals who control the budget or direction of an exhibition or program. Matyas shares advice from presenters at the August 2000 VSA Conference about how to best get decision-makers to pay attention to evaluation findings, including the usefulness of videotaping visitors during interactions and interviews.