The use of a questionnaire to solicit seminar participants' feedback is the most common tool used for evaluation purposes. The process of implementing this form of seminar evaluation is fairly quick, inexpensive and can be extremely effective. Having said that, you have to take care while developing your own questionnaire or using an existing one, to ensure that the questionnaire has been well-conceived and thoughtfully developed. It should address the key session objectives, which often include content, presentation skills, level of participant engagement, interest in the topic, meeting participant expectations and length of the session. If there are specific aspects of the seminar to evaluate, the section of the questionnaire dealing with those aspects can be expanded to garner additional information, which is a good example of the flexibility of this tool.
Though not a very comprehensive tool for evaluation, soliciting feedback from seminar participants in a round-table discussion format immediately following the session can provide valuable information. This means of evaluation can be particularly useful when addressing a larger group, as the volume of participants may prove too big to interview individually, or even in small focus teams. Make certain to have specific questions ready to assist in breaking the ice and encouraging honest feedback.
One of the best tools for evaluating seminar effectiveness is to ask the attendees directly. Most people enjoy sharing their opinions, particularly with others genuinely interested in their feedback. While being a great measuring tool, there are a few things that should be taken care of when utilizing this technique. Consider the expected number of seminar participants, and the number of interviewers needed to expedite the process. It is unrealistic to expect attendees to patiently wait to be interviewed immediately following a seminar, so manpower may be a factor. Also, it is important to be prepared with the questions, much like the questionnaire tool, that measure the areas important to the seminar host. This shows a preparedness and respect for guests' time, in addition to eliciting more valuable information.
A particularly useful and inexpensive tool for evaluating seminars is to solicit colleagues with expertise in the specific areas to be measured. Colleagues will often provide insight that seminar participants cannot, and bring with them a unique perspective. If there are several aspects of a seminar to be evaluated, such as presentation skills and content reliability, ask a colleague well known for his presentation abilities as well as a subject expert.