"You are our project counsellor!" "It's like a therapy session!" Recent comments from clients, as we have discussed the progress of their projects as part of the evaluation process.
As an external evaluator, I bring an outside view to a project, an independent opinion to help see the wood from the trees, experience from other projects and a sounding-board for ideas. In return, I get to work with all sorts of interesting people and find out all sorts of interesting things which I might not have done otherwise. What, as they say, is not to like?