Utilization-focused evaluation begins with the premise that evaluations should be judged by their utility and actual use; therefore, evaluators should facilitate the evaluation process and design an evaluation with careful consideration of how everything, from beginning to end, will affect use.

Evaluation work has historically marginalized, minimized, and even disrespected Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). Therefore, special effort must be made by experienced and equity-focused evaluators to conduct evaluations in service of equity – to examine all aspects of an evaluation through an equity lens. Not only must an evaluation be useful, but it must also be equitable. We could even argue that if an evaluation does not work towards advancing equity, it is not useful.