Not specifically H&S related, but I'm starting a new job in the coming weeks, and they have asked me to give so thought into how they can improve the collection of feedback from training courses they provide as apparently its low.

I was thinking of using QR codes on the slides that link to online surveys that can be completed on their forms, but wondered what other methods or incentives you use.

thanks

It's quite common to put paper feedback forms in front of the trainees and prevent them from leaving the session until they have filled them in.

I'm not saying this results in considered or accurate feedback ...

Originally Posted by: A Kurdziel

So you want feedback on each slide-why?

 Surely any training is a complete “show” and what is  important is how effectively you convey your message.  To be honest the slides are the least important part  of the training. Some of the best sessions I have had, we stopped looking at the slides and shared  H&S stories, discussing examples of good and bad practice. How would you measure the “buzz” that produces?  A mistake a lot of people do ( and I used to do) was trying to convey   too much information: death by bullet point. The best you can do is to get them thinking about the subject. Don’t expect someone to be fully trained  after one session. Someone ie the line manager needs to get them to use the knowledge in the real world. That’s when you get competent people.

Not EVERY slide, but per session. How do you know how well your training was without feedback? 

You only judge how well the training went months/years after the event when you get direct feedback about a particular aspect they remember (think back to your school days - how many teachers left an impression you can recall their name, the subject they taught and any wisdom they imparted).

From filling - paper or digital - on the day or whilst the session is still fresh in the mind is pointless especially when it is a form a colleague has placed on a desk pending your release from the room.

You don't tell the colleague how abysmal their performance was for fear of offending them and similarly you don't tell their manager in case they get sacked or you get bounced from further development.

Another manifestation of popular culture where everything needs to be "liked" - "Please tell us about your recent experience through our short survey....." DELETE

Hi Craig

I always took the view that an appraisal sheet hopefully completed before each delegate left the room was helpful but subject to lots of ifs and buts.

One of those is that the perception of trainer (and whoever asks them to do the training) and delegates as to intended outcome could be different both at start and finish of the training.

All too often, delegates go into training thinking that all they need is a piece of paper (or some electronic equivalent) to be fully competent and that there isn't a need for putting the training into practice to gradually expand their competence.

Then there is what the trainer needs to get out of the appraisals and I think that usually the negative comments are much more helpful than the glowing plaudits!

There are all sorts of reasons for the negative comments. Some need attention and others perhaps not. Could be simply a delegate unhappy about a change in their organisation's strategy and changing back might not be an option on the table.

But to work out what to do with those negative comments it may be helpful to at least know what the delegate's role is even if they don't have to give their name (though of course if you make this element of the form voluntary and have 12 delegates, 11 of whom identify themselves and one who doesn't well you can work out who they are!)

I think it's a good idea for the delegates to be able to place their forms away from the trainer. This does mean that the odd one will just escape without filling in the form!

But, if you look at it the other way and ask them to fill in the form in their own good time, that is a recipe for having to chase them afterwards when they have much higher priorities and they may just ignore the repeated requests or just fill in a post appraisal as quickly (and, probably, uselessly) as they can get away with.

You, the trainer, probably need something back quickly as there might be another course in a couple of weeks and you may need to tweak the course content or discuss things like delegate mixes. All too often courses are opened up to a broad audience and you end up with some who already know half the course content and others who should have been given some pre-course training/mentorin/whatever BEFORE attending something that is above their level.

In my experience, the free text comments are almost invariably much more useful than whatever scoring you ask delegates for.

P

I read all of my feedback myself-no software involved.

As to how was the food-that could be relevant on a residential course which your employer is paying for through the nose. A colleague has just attended a weeklong residential and the food was terrible and the service worst. The main thing he has taken back for the course is that the caterer would not allow him to have a simple salad for his tea if he used a bowl as opposed to a dinner plate. The little things irk the most