Post-Workshop Surveys are often unintentionally intended to ensure that everyone was happy with the workshop and generally had a beneficial day. Organisers probably expect one or two suggestions of improvement, but after all the effort they put into the event, they expect the positive to well outweigh the negative. In fact, if there is any trending below ‘Well Done’, it’s human to feel a bit deflated. After all, you’ve tried your best, and really you are offering either what was asked of you, or what your experience has told you.
That’s why Surveys are often called Happy Sheets.
Often, they don’t really survey what needed surveying, and so sometimes the responses can go rogue.
The post-Workshop Survey will be problematic when the survey questions aren’t really related to the goals of the Workshop.
If the purpose of the Workshop was to ensure that everyone was well fed at lunch time, then a rating could be asked about whether lunch satisfied.
If the purpose of the Workshop was to establish new contacts and network, then a survey question could be asked about how many new contacts were established.
If the purpose of the Workshop was to learn some new communication skills, then a follow-up survey question sent out a month after the training to check on progress would be a good idea.
But if a survey question were to ask attendants if they had any feedback about the event, then the feedback can often not be of value.