EVALUATION IS DEFINED AS AN INTEGRAL FUNCTION OF MANAGEMENT DELEGATED TO STAFF SPECIALISTS WITH TECHNICAL TRAINING AND TIME REQUIREMENTS. AS AN ONGOING INTERNAL PROCESS IN THE ORGANIZATION, ITS PRIMARY FUNCTION IS TO ASSIST AND GUIDE MANAGEMENT IN PROGRAM JUDGMENTS AND PROVIDE ACCOUNTABILITY TO OUTSIDE AUDIENCES. THE MULTIPLE DEMANDS AND UNRELENTING PACE OF MANAGEMENT REQUIRES RAPID VERBAL INFORMATION EXCHANGE. EVALUATORS ARE ADVISED TO VALUE TIMELINESS AND SPECULATION AS MUCH AS PRECISION. MIDDLE MANAGEMENT'S CONFLICTING RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARD WORKERS, SPECIFIC PROJECTS, AND SUBGROUPS OF THE ORGANIZATION, AS WELL AS ACCOUNTABILITY TO THEIR SUPERIORS, PRESENT A SPECIAL CHALLENGE TO THE EVALUATOR. IT IS THE DUTY OF CHIEF EXECUTIVES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE INTEGRAL ROLE OF EVALUATION WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION, BUT MIDDLE MANAGEMENT MUST BE GIVEN AUTHORITY TO IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDED CHANGES IN SPECIFIC PROJECTS. FRIENDLY AND PERSONAL OUTREACH SHOULD BE AN ONGOING PROCESS. THE EVALUATOR MUST USE LANGUAGE UNDERSTOOD BY MANAGEMENT STAFF. EVALUATIVE INFORMATION SHOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH MANAGEMENT AS IT IS GENERATED. FURTHERMORE, THE PURPOSE OF EVALUATIVE STUDIES SHOULD BE SPECIFIED IN ADVANCE, AND PROGRAM OUTCOMES, RATHER THAN STAFF INEFFICIENCIES, SHOULD BE STRESSED. EVALUATOR CREDIBILITY WITH MANAGEMENT WILL GROW WITH A RESPONSIVE EVALUATION CAPACITY WHICH ANTICIPATES MANAGEMENT NEEDS AND PROVIDES USEFUL INFORMATION IN A TIMELY FASHION. ONLY THE MOST USEFUL DATA SHOULD BE COLLECTED AND STORED. THE RANGE OF DATA, ITS STORAGE AND RETRIEVABILITY AND THE DEGREE TO WHICH IT CAN BE DISAGGREGATED, RESORTED, AND RECOMBINED WILL DETERMINE THE EVALUATOR'S USEFULNESS TO MANAGEMENT. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)