Creating Effective Survey Tools for SHIP Chapters: A Comprehensive Guide (Full Transcript)

Speaker 1: Hello SHIP chapters. Today we're going to discuss how to create effective survey and assessment tools for your local SHIP chapter. Creating an effective survey will help you determine the success of events and programs to ensure that you're able to continue to capture responses that will yield valuable insights. First and foremost, it's essential to define your survey goals. Ask yourself what you want to learn from the survey and align it with the initial objectives of the event or program you're evaluating. Are you assessing overall satisfaction, specific aspects of the event, or gauging future improvements? Identify key areas to evaluate, such as content, logistics, networking opportunities, and overall experience. It's recommended to look at more than just satisfaction to determine if the goals of the event or program were met. Next, keep your survey short and focused. Only include questions that directly relate to the objectives of the survey. A good way to achieve this is to utilize as many closed-ended questions as possible, such as multiple choice, Likert scale, rating from 1 to 5, or yes-no questions. Minimizing the number of open-ended questions as much as possible to keep the survey concise. Start with the questions related to the event to make sure those get answered. Leave any demographic questions, such as gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, to the end. Then make sure there's a prefer not to answer option or make the demographic questions optional. When crafting your questions, use clear language and avoid jargon to ensure that they are easily understood by your members. Start with general questions and gradually move to more specific ones, grouping similar questions together. If possible, have someone else test your survey for understanding before releasing it to your members. Choose an accessible survey platform that is easy to use and compatible with multiple devices, such as desktops, mobile phones, and tablets. If possible, utilize a platform that allows for anonymous responses to encourage honesty from your members. If you're collecting sensitive information, ensure that the platform you use is secure and complies with data protection regulations. Once you've collected your survey responses, analyze the results promptly to identify key takeaways and areas for improvement. Develop an action plan based on the feedback to improve future events and address any issues raised by your members. Consider sharing a summary of the survey results with your members to show that their feedback is valued and being acted upon. By following these tips and structuring your survey thoughtfully, you can gather actionable insights that will help you evaluate the success of your event and make informed decisions for future improvements. Any questions? Reach out to research at shpe.org. Thank you for watching.