The last element that all facilitators have to consider, though certainly not the least important, is the need to evaluate a meeting or workshop. Did we reach our objectives? Were participants satisfied, and will they be willing to join and contribute again in the future? Ex-post evaluations are relatively simple: some of them can take place at the end of every session or at the end of the event, inviting participants to share their opinions and to rank or qualify a specific session or part of the event. In other cases, it is possible to prepare an online survey and to share the link, inviting participants to reflect and present their opinions – making it easier to tabulate all answers, and to draw general conclusions.It is also important to monitor sessions and get participant feedback during an event, so as to adjust and improve as you go along.
WHEN TO USE THEM AND WHY
Many evaluation tools provide quick and easy ways to evaluate the effectiveness of a major meeting, event or workshop at the end and also while it is happening, and help alter its course so as to meet participant needs and/or fulfil meeting objectives. By evaluating an on-going meeting in terms of participants' learning, efficiency, level of engagement and group dynamics, a facilitator can make real-time course corrections. Real-time evaluation techniques also give time for participants to reflect, focusing on the content which has been shared.
Most meetings and workshops are expensive in terms of time and money, so evaluation tools are a way to obtain the best possible results for the investment. While there are many tried and tested meeting evaluation techniques, these are usually applied at the end of a meeting in order to elicit feedback from participants and help plan a next meeting. In all cases, some of the important issues to consider are to
Some interesting tools are:
Most meetings and workshops are expensive in terms of time and money, so evaluation tools are a way to obtain the best possible results for the investment. While there are many tried and tested meeting evaluation techniques, these are usually applied at the end of a meeting in order to elicit feedback from participants and help plan a next meeting. In all cases, some of the important issues to consider are to
- ask someone to takes notes (or have a reporter for every session), collecting the ideas that are shared and the conclusions made: the topics covered, the relevant issues that emerge, etc.;
- have a set of indicators, focusing not only on the results or outputs seen, but also on the relevance of each session, on the efficiency of the methods and approaches followed, or on the different elements involved (organization and preparations, participation levels, facilitation, etc.);
- collect both quantitative as qualitative information; and to
- include the preparations phase of the meeting or event (and not just the moment when all participants get together), and consider this particular event within the broader programme or initiative of which it is part.
Some interesting tools are:
GRAFFITI
This is a simple and fast tool that can be used at the end of a meeting, but also at the end of one particular session. It helps collect anonymous opinions from all participants, and in this way lets people express themselves, or say thing which they otherwise may not. Everybody says what he or she thinks, positive or negative, long or short – as long as it is an opinion about the meeting.
CROWDSOURCING
Taken from the Liberating Structures collection, this tool can help share ideas an complete a joint evaluation process. Every participant writes an opinion on a card. Standing all together, they all mill around and the cards are passed from person to person, many times. When the bell rings, people stop passing cards and individually rate the opinion on the card in their hands. This is done five times, with each card being scored five times by different participants. At the end of the fifth round, participants add the five scores on the back of the last card they are holding. The opinions with the top highest scores are identified and shared with the whole group.
REFLECTIVE FEEDBACK
Reflective Feedback leverages participant-created multimedia to inspire reflection and brief reviews of happenings during a multi-day event. The music and photos made by all participants are incorporated into a multimedia slide show, stimulating participants’ memory of the previous day, and also encouraging them to be forthcoming with their feedback.
ONLINE TOOLS
Online tools are usually easy to use, offer quick results, and provide an element of fun. As most meeting participants already have mobile devices (and may use them during meetings or conferences), it is possible to use them to find out how participants feel at various intervals during a meeting, gauge their interest levels, collect feedback and ideas, evaluate their understanding, and ensure your message is getting across.