Before Asking Whether It Worked

“Was it successful?” sounds like one question, but it may hide three:

• What happened? Describe the outcome.
• What caused it? Ask whether the action made a difference.
• Was that outcome worth it? Weigh it against the values or priorities that matter.

Try separating those questions before looking for an answer. For example, a project might meet its target, but that alone doesn’t show the project caused the result—or that the result justified the effort.

This small distinction helps match the evidence to the claim. Records may describe what happened; explaining why may require a comparison; deciding what counts as “worth it” may involve values that evidence can inform but cannot settle on its own.

A clearer question is often the first useful finding.