Training Evaluation

If you've kept up with the Cvent Survey blog, you know that there are five key question types when it comes to web surveys. One thought remains: what difference does it make which question type I choose? In fact, it makes a big difference.

Question type determines the analysis you can perform on the data you receive, whether you're working on a training evaluation, satisfaction survey or customer service feedback form.

Consider the following table, which outlines the types of analysis allowed for by different question types:



You'll notice as you move up the table, you can perform more mathematical operations and types of analysis.

It's important to always keep in mind the whole picture of your survey, from start to finish. What types of analysis do you want to do with your data, and what kinds of reports will you need to present after the survey is closed? The answers to these questions should weigh heavily in the design of your survey questions.

Recently we talked about common survey pitfalls to avoid when designing survey questions. Do you still worry that your survey questions are not the right ones, or that they won't get the results you're looking for?

You're not alone. Many surveyors feel that they still don't have the knowledge to create surveys that will yield quality data.

That's where Cvent comes in. As the leading provider of online web survey tools, Cvent's survey professionals are armed with the expertise to help you gather feedback you can be confident in.

Cvent recently launched a Professional Services Program to help those who are not trained survey experts. One of the key aspects of our program is strategy consultation. We can help you identify the best use of surveys for your organization and offer input on questions and responses that can achieve your business goals.

Once the questions and responses are established, the Professional Services Group can also provide review and commentary. Gone are the days of compound questions and wrong question type selections. We'll help you avoid common pitfalls and improve questions to yield better data.

Don't shy away from creating a survey program within your organization because of lack of knowledge. Cvent's Professional Services Group is happy to discuss how your organization can best utilize a survey program.

Learn more about Survey Professional Services

After completing a project, your survey results should not be put in a drawer and never looked at again. Strong organizations understand the value in having a survey program in place; exceptional organizations know they can continue to gauge progress through identifying trends from survey data.

Being able to compare the results of surveys (whether they be satisfaction surveys, training evaluations or another type of market research survey) can add a lot of value to your processes and your organization as a whole. Think of the competitive advantage organizations have when they are able to spot trends and make adjustments in a proactive manner, rather than scrambling to adapt at the last minute reactively.

It's always better to adjust to change on your own accord rather than being forced to do so. Identifying trends early based on gathered feedback allows companies to adjust pricing, product features, advertising, manufacturing processes, etc.

Consider the following example:



If you look at the comparison of the informational value of webinars over the last two years, you'll note that the value of the material being presented is growing. As a surveyor, this feedback will allow you evaluate your material, how it has changed and how you should move forward in the coming year.

With a web-based survey tool such as Cvent, looking at results across various questionnaires over time is a simple task. Such online survey tools allow surveyors to quickly and easily collect data and view real–time reports, even while the survey is still going on!

To learn more about the value of being able to track your survey results overtime and other web survey best practices, sign up for one of our online webinars.

Successful employee training is critical to a business' success. After all, the quality of your training program will affect your sales volume, employee performance and production costs, among other areas. How do you ensure that your training program is as effective as can be? A web survey solution such as Cvent can be exactly what you need to streamline your training evaluation.

Consider a few of the following important features of training evaluation survey software:

• A central database of knowledge that's key to your training program, such as test history or certification history

• Real-time alerts to notify instructors, mangement, etc., of very high or very low training assessment scores

• Question scoring to assign questions and answers different point values

• An easy-to-use, understandable interface that can be utilized effectively by all skill levels, from trainees to management

Employee performance reviews and training evaluations are tough enough without adding in the hassles that a paper and ink survey can produce. Here’s why web-based evaluations can get better results for your next training program:

• They provide a quick turn-around. Paper evaluations tend to get lost in the shuffle. An online survey, however, can be sent via email and can even provide gentle “reminders” to trainees so that they don’t forget to respond. With the perceived ease of use that an online evaluation gives respondents, it won’t be long before they will be filling it out and giving you almost-instant feedback.

• They say what they mean. Handwritten surveys can be a challenge to decipher. They can also discourage a free flow of ideas in respondents that have difficulty writing. Get the feedback you were intended to receive with a web-based survey designed to make communication easy for everyone involved.

• They are easily stored and accessed. How likely are you to dig into that file folder of paper evaluations from three years back? If you are like most busy professionals, not likely at all. Online surveys provide easy storage and instant access to your entire history of web-based results. When info is handy, it’s worth much more.

Great feedback is just the beginning of your training evaluation survey. With a web-based solution that’s as easy to administer as it is to use, you’ll give your trainees a sense of how valuable their feedback really is.

There was once a time when value, or ROI, could only be accurately measured for sales departments and production teams. Times have changed, and C-level executives are now demanding specific metrics demonstrating value from marketing, client services and training and development departments.

Yes, training and development. Although this may seem like a stretch, organizations around the world have been successfully integrating accountable metrics that demonstrate real business value from new hire training, professional development and other learning measures.

In order for training and development professionals to accurately demonstrate the value of their programs (and accordingly be granted sufficient budgets for course material, technology and other resources), a viable measure of ROI needs to be identified. To do so, trainers have been able to use assessment surveys and training evaluation feedback tools to demonstrate the links between business metrics and fundamental learning concepts.

Cvent’s new white paper on training evaluations discusses how to evaluate the value of training using assessment software and evaluation surveys. This white paper demonstrates how critical business metrics are tied in with the commonly accepted Kirkpatrick model for effective training. The white paper is available at Cvent's Survey Resources page.