With the help of a training survey, you can determine what needs to be improved or highlighted in your future training sessions. This does not only become beneficial to hold a good reputation but to the trainees also. Thus, it needs to be effective for both parties. Follow these simple and sharp key points to produce an effective printable survey.
1. Keep It Short
You are asking your respondents a favor. Lengthy survey forms can take much of their time and might end up answered hastily that can result in making the training survey unreliable and invalid. To avoid that, estimate the whole training survey answerable in just at least 5 minutes or so. The shorter it is, the more the respondent is willing to answer.
2. Be Sequential
List the questions in accordance with the training schedule period the trainee has undergone. By doing this, your respondents will have an easier way to analyze the situation, thus making their answers reliable and honest. This will make your respondent's thoughts organized and run as smooth as possible.
3. Types of Questions
Closed-ended questions are more favorable to dominate the whole sample survey sheet but do not restrict them with too limited choices such as Yes or No options only. It is too general and may make it hard to decipher the results. Providing them ratings of the maximum of five choices is enough for specific feedback. As much as possible, narrow your questions to a more specific idea. "Did you enjoy the training?" may be helpful but sounds too general. "Did you enjoy the first exercise we had for the first topic of the training?" can provide you a more specific response of how he/she felt in that particular area. By this, it can help you to distinguish specifically what part/s of the training need/s to be modified.
4. Provide a Sense of Confidentiality
One factor why your respondents cannot be honest with you is either they are afraid to disappoint you or disappoint themselves. Especially that you have established a platonic kind of connection, most people do not want to waste that. According to Christine Hammond, MS, LMHC, people tend to lie to avoid the feeling of disappointment. Some ideas your respondents can pass the survey form with confidentiality is to make it nameless and be dropped in a secured and covered box. You can also opt to do online surveys since they are more convenient as there is no paper trail.
5. Say Thank You
Again, you were asking for their time. Helpful or not, you have asked them a big favor. So always say a thank-you message in the questionnaire. Acknowledging your respondents' efforts can make them feel valued. Respectfully show your gratitude through the form, and if possible, verbally deliver it also.