Creative Tools for Building Consensus

Engaging stakeholders in design and evaluation can feel messy, tense, and stressful. Change agents can be passionate about their ideas and often differ in their perspectives, especially given the important issues they face. What can we as evaluators do to create a more inclusive and enjoyable process for coming together and building common ground? This demonstration shares innovative and fun tools from four real-life client evaluations. Through interactive exercises, you will learn how nonprofit staff used an internet-style muppets quiz to explore diverse perspectives, arts organizations shared their visions for change by channeling their inner Bob Ross, a state think tank built consensus with Logic Model Mad Libs, and participants shared feedback with Dr. Seuss. Not only are these activities fun but, by breaking down barriers through art and play, they can also create space for engagement, communication, and collaboration in our increasingly polarized world.