Table of Contents >
   Part K. Maintaining Quality and Rewarding Accomplishments... >
      Chapter 40. Maintaining Quality Performance >
          Section 3. Obtaining and Using Feedback from Participants >
             Tools & Checklists - A checklist that summarizes the major points contained in the section. >

Obtaining and Using Feedback from Participants
  

Tools & Checklists

 Contributed by Phil Rabinowitz Edited by Bill Berkowitz

 

Checklist

Here you will find a checklist summarizing the important points of the section.

What do we mean by feedback from participants?

__ Feedback from participants consists of reactions to, opinions about, and/or information on what you do from those to whom it’s offered or who benefit from it.

Feedback may be:

__ Positive, negative, or neutral.

__ Objective or subjective.

__ Enhanced by knowledge of community history, personalities and relationships, culture, etc.

__ Limited by lack of knowledge, information, or understanding.

__ Solicited or unsolicited.

__ Direct or indirect.

Why do you need feedback from participants?

__ It’s part of being customer-centered.

__ It gives you tools to improve your program.

__ It allows you to respond to changes in the community, the population, or the situation.

__ It can give you information about the history of the community, the history of your issue in the community, or the history of your population.

__ It can inform you about personalities and relationships in the community and/or the population you’re working with.

__ It can tell you when your methods or approach aren’t working.

__ It can tell you when you’re treating people in ways that make them feel uncomfortable, angry, or otherwise disrespected.

__ It can help you deal with what’s important to participants, even though that may not be your major goal.

__ It can assure that your objectives make as much sense for participants as they do for you.

Who are participants that can offer feedback?

__ Adults and teens with no intellectual, psychological, or social barriers.

__ People with mental illness.

__ Children.

__ At-risk or troubled youth.

__ Developmentally delayed or retarded teens and adults.

__ Speakers of other than the majority language.

__ People who have left the program.

When might you ask for feedback from participants?

__ Before you begin an effort (PLAN).

__ As you develop a program, initiative, or intervention (DO).

__ Before you implement your plan (CHECK).

__ While the work progresses and in evaluating it (ACT).

__ In making adjustments and starting the cycle again (ANALYZE).

How do you obtain feedback from participants?

You use one or more methods of asking for feedback:

__ Surveys.

__ Individual interviews.

__ Small group interviews and focus groups.

__ Town meeting or whole-program format meetings.

__ Journals.

You try to increase your chances of getting good feedback by:

__ Guaranteeing anonymity.

__ Explaining why you need feedback, and how you’ll use it.

__ Being clear about exactly what kind of feedback you want.

__ Sharing the results with participants.

How do you use feedback from participants?

__ Use it to understand the needs of the community.

__ Use it to respond to changes in the situation of participants, the community, the political climate, etc.

__ Use it to improve your program by responding to the need for change in attitudes, methods, content, etc.

__ Use it to create or strengthen an organizational culture that encourages and welcomes feedback, and uses it well