The impulse experimented by public programs and policies evaluation during the last years has brought about a remarkable increase of evaluative practices that, in contrast to traditional evaluation, grant the stakeholder groups a relevant, even hegemonic, role. The involvement of these groups in the evaluation is highly desirable, not only from an ethical but also from a methodological point of view. From this perspective, a reflection on the audience participation in evaluative studies is presented. To begin with, methodological considerations supporting this participation are put forward. Next, the more habitually involved groups are described. Thereafter the role played by the aforementioned groups in the evaluation design and implementation and in the subsequent decision-making is analysed from three evaluative pluralist approaches: stakeholder based evaluation, participatory evaluation and empowerment evaluation. Finally, some considerations regarding ethical and methodological difficulties that can arise from the above-mentioned participation are discussed.
public policy; evaluation; participation.