Successfull Event Activation:

Stage 4 - Evaluation and Reporting

Events conclude not with the close of the evening’s activities, but instead with a thorough evaluation of the event, which is put into a comprehensive report and disseminated to all stakeholders.

Honest evaluation is critical to the event management process and key to the continuous improvement of events since it is at this stage that insight is gained and lessons are learnt. Evaluation should occur before the event begins as well as during implementation (whilst one can still make adjustments to the event) but the ultimate post-event evaluation – what we will be focusing on – completes the cycle.

Event evaluation is the practice of observing, measuring and monitoring the execution of an event in order to determine whether the event was “successful” in achieving the objectives laid down at the start of the project. It provides an opportunity to look back and review whether the event was planned satisfactorily and carried out in the best way. Measurement in and of itself does not add value so event managers need to discern between what to assess and what not to.

The best time to do post-event evaluation is in the days that immediately follow the event when the details are still fresh. Event planners should meet with all interested parties and stakeholders and use all sources of information available to them, for example security, lighting and sound technicians.

A range of techniques are used in evaluation, for example, follow-up surveys by phone or e-mail, data supplied by the client on new leads generated, calculation of the number of attendees and the length of time engaged, media monitoring as well as measurement of internet hits post-event. Technology is playing an ever increasing role in obtaining relevant feedback, and in analyzing the data.

In addition to this quantitative analysis, it is useful to use complimentary qualitative methods such as observing the event, customer focus groups and interviewing attendees. Since events have intangible benefits which are difficult to quantify, these methods play an important part in revealing areas for improvement which had not been previously contemplated.

After carefully gathering information from all sources, event planners now prepare an audited financial statement and weigh up the costs of staging the event compared with the benefits.

Thereafter an event evaluation report is compiled and distributed to all stakeholders and interested parties. The report should clearly indicate whether objectives have been met since it is understood that should an event’s objectives be achieved, bottom-line improvements are likely to follow. It is at this stage that the real value of the event is demonstrated.

The report includes areas that you’d keep the same as well as recommendations for future events. Expert event planners use the report not only to provide feedback to stakeholders, but as a tool for development and they make sure to feed lessons learnt from the event straight back into the event management process.

Finally, after all the planning, hard work, meticulous attention to detail and thorough evaluation, it is time to thank all involved – and to celebrate your successes.