AT A 1976 SYMPOSIUM, FEDERAL AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES DISCUSSED WHY IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO DELIVER EVALUATIVE INFORMATION TO DECISIONMAKERS. THESE AGENCIES HAD PERFORMED EVALUATIONS OF VARYING TYPES AT DIFFERENT TIMES, AND WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SEVEN OBSTACLES WHICH HAD EITHER DISCOURAGED OR PREVENTED THE USE OF EVALUATION BY POLICYMAKERS. THE OBSTACLES CITED WERE: IMPRECISE CONGRESSIONAL LANGUAGE; LEGISLATIVE VAGUENESS WHICH DOES LITTLE MORE THAN POINT IN A GENERAL DIRECTION; THE THREATENING NATURE OF EVALUATION, MAINLY BECAUSE EVALUATION FINDINGS ARE PUBLIC INFORMATION, AND ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE PRIVATE USE OF THE PROGRAM MANAGER; LACK OF MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO ASK CORE QUESTIONS OF EFFECTIVENESS IN AGENCY CONTEXT; LACK OF INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVENESS; THE (LATE VOLUMINOUS REPORTS); INSUFFICIENT INTERACTION AMONG EVALUATORS AND DECISIONMAKERS; AND INADEQUATE PRESENTATION OF THE EVALUATION PRODUCT, E.G., AN EVALUATION THAT IS 'SPOOKY, UNFATHOMABLE, TEDIOUS TO READ AND UNDERSTAND.' AGENCY PEOPLE AT THE SYMPOSIUM SAW THEMSELVES AS THE CHIEF VILLIANS IN THE MATTER, AND IT IS HOPED THAT THE PRESENT TRENDS WILL BE REVERSED.