Evaluating results and improving the management system

Once outputs and outcomes have been collected through regular and continuous monitoring processes they need to be evaluated, to assist the continued work of managing World Heritage All inherited assets that people value for reasons beyond mere utility. Heritage is a broad concept and includes shared legacies from the natural environment, the creations of humans and the creations and interactions of humans and nature. It encompasses built, terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments, landscapes and seascapes, biodiversity, geodiversity, collections, cultural practices, knowledge, living experiences, etc. and other heritage places. Evaluation must be used positively to support managers and be seen as a normal part of the process to determine whether the management system is achieving its objectives; it therefore should be conducted with transparency and the use of credible datasets.

Evaluation needs to be integrated into the management process and ways of engaging with managers, rights-holders and stakeholders need to be established not only to carry out meaningful evaluations, but also potentially build further cooperation and support for managing World Heritage All inherited assets that people value for reasons beyond mere utility. Heritage is a broad concept and includes shared legacies from the natural environment, the creations of humans and the creations and interactions of humans and nature. It encompasses built, terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments, landscapes and seascapes, biodiversity, geodiversity, collections, cultural practices, knowledge, living experiences, etc. . Data collection and monitoring will be fundamental for robust evaluations to take place, and cost-effective, meaningful monitoring programmes with appropriate indicators for both outcomes and outputs need to be established from the onset of planning. Evaluations will provide the opportunity to look for
common threads and identify where data can be drawn together to find trends, themes and lessons over time. They should also be used to shape improvements for the future, with the conclusions being communicated and used as a basis of making change.