What's your strategy for conference evaluation that aligns with your goals?

1 Define your goals

Before you start collecting feedback, you need to define what you want to achieve with your conference and how you will measure it. What are your specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives? How do they align with your organization's mission and vision? How will you communicate them to your stakeholders and participants? Your goals will guide your evaluation design and help you focus on the most relevant data.

2 Choose your methods

When collecting data from conference attendees, speakers, sponsors, and staff, the best method depends on your goals, resources, budget, and audience. Consider the type of data needed (quantitative or qualitative), when to collect the data (pre-, during-, or post-conference), and how to collect the data (online, offline, or hybrid). For example, online data collection can help you reach a wider and more diverse audience, save time and money, and analyze data faster; while offline data collection can help build rapport with your audience and capture non-verbal cues. Hybrid data collection can combine the advantages of both online and offline methods to increase response rate.

3 Design your questions

When designing questions for your evaluation, it is important to ensure that they are clear, concise, relevant, and unbiased. Make sure that your questions match your methods and goals. To help you craft effective questions, use a logical and consistent structure in your introduction. Explain the purpose and scope of the evaluation, the confidentiality and anonymity of the data, and the estimated time to complete it. Group your questions into sections that follow a logical order and use transitions to guide your audience. At the end, include a thank-you note and a call to action. Additionally, select an appropriate question type depending on your method and data type. Avoid using too many or too few options, as well as leading, loaded, or double-barreled questions that can influence or confuse your audience. Finally, use simple language that does not contain jargon or technical terms. Utilize direct words and sentences that convey your meaning clearly; avoid vague or ambiguous words or phrases as well as negative or complex wording.

4 Implement your evaluation

Once you have designed your questions, you need to effectively implement your evaluation. This entails distributing, administering, and managing your data collection in a way that guarantees the quality, validity, and reliability of your data. To help you in this process, here are some tips: Test your evaluation with a small sample of your audience or a group of experts prior to launching it. This can help you identify and fix any errors, problems, or issues that may affect your data collection or analysis. Additionally, make sure to test your evaluation on different devices, platforms, or browsers to ensure its compatibility and accessibility. Furthermore, promote your evaluation effectively to enhance the response rate and the engagement of your audience. You can use various channels such as email, social media, website, or newsletters to inform your audience about the evaluation and its benefits. You can also use incentives such as prizes, discounts, or certificates to motivate them to participate. Don't forget to remind them about the evaluation and its deadline and thank them for their participation. Lastly, monitor your evaluation regularly during the data collection process. You can use tools such as dashboards, reports, or analytics to track the progress, performance, and results of your evaluation. Make sure to check the quality, completeness, and consistency of your data as well as address any issues such as missing data, outliers, or errors that may arise.

5 Analyze your data

Once you have collected your data, you must analyze it to extract meaningful insights and recommendations. To do this, you can utilize various tools, such as spreadsheets, software, or platforms, to organize, visualize, and interpret your data. Additionally, appropriate techniques like descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, or thematic analysis should be used to explore, compare, or explain your data. Here are some tips to help you analyze your data: Align your analysis with the goals you defined in the beginning of your evaluation; use multiple sources and perspectives of data to enhance the validity and reliability of your analysis; and tell a story with your data by utilizing different formats and elements to visualize and narrate it. Additionally, use a clear and simple language that conveys your message clearly and persuasively.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?