Unit 1 - Leisure in Action

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Overview

Evaluating the project

Once the project is finished, it is important to evaluate what happened. This will help you decide whether the objectives set by your team at the outset have been achieved.
You should gather feedback on performance throughout the project, not just at the end. You need to produce methods of evaluating the project. Your evaluation must be against your own criteria. A good way of evaluating performance is for the whole team as well as individuals to consider the following:
• did we meet our objectives?
• were key deadlines met?
• did our planning promote effective performance?
• was the project effective/successful?
• what went well and what went badly for me as an individual?
• how well did the team work as a whole?
• how did working as a team help or hinder me?

In doing this, you are expected to give helpful feedback on how others performed as well as receiving comments on your own performance and responding to them. You should regard the evaluation process as an essential way of improving both individual
and team performance. From this process you will then produce recommendations for improvements to avoid mistakes being repeated in the future.

Evaluation is an integral part of event management and you should plan your evaluation carefully. The business contacts made when studying Unit 1 and Unit 3 may be willing to assist in this process, as many organisations have a designated person who deals with marketing and event
management.

Time should be allocated to discussing the principles of project evaluation before candidates start the assessment activity. They need to look at the project objectives and discuss the relative advantages of a range of evaluation techniques, such as a group debrief, individual appraisal, peer/tutor feedback, customer feedback,
feedback from suppliers. Candidates could design suitable evaluation forms before starting their project. It is important that candidates understand that reviewing the effectiveness of their evaluation techniques should also be part of their overall evaluation techniques.

Evaluation of the project needs to take into account:
• the role of the individual
• the role of the team
• the customers/clients
• the timescale and any restraints/contingencies that had to be taken into account
• the overall outcome compared with the original aims and objectives.

How will I be assessed?

Level 1 -Includes a basic attempt at evaluation of candidates’ own performance and that of the team. Candidates make basic recommendations for improvement. There may be some omissions. Form and style of writing convey meaning adequately.
(1 – 4 marks)

Level 2 - Includes some evaluation of candidates’ own performance and the team’s performance during and after the project. Candidates make some recommendations for improvement, not all of which may be realistic. Form and style of writing convey meaning with some structure.
(5 – 9 marks)

Level 3 - Includes a detailed evaluation of candidates’ own performance and the team’s performance during and after the project, making realistic recommendations for improvement. Form and style of writing are in the main appropriate to purpose and subject matter.
(10 –14 marks)

Level 4 - Includes a comprehensive evaluation of candidates’ own performance and the team’s performance during and after the project, making comprehensive and realistic recommendations for improvement, and showing insight into what is needed for success. Form and style of writing are fully appropriate to purpose and complex
subject matter.
(15 – 18 marks)

Assignment Structure

You will produce a report to evaluate your event. Whenever possible you should refer to a range of pieces of evidence such as feedback from customers, your log etc. This should be presented in a graphical format whenever possible.

1. Did you meet your aims and objectives? How do you know? Remember to present data appropriately to back up your claims.
2. Did you meet all your deadlines? It would be good if you could present this graphically (see p60)
3. Evaluate your team performance (include techniques that allow for customer feedback and feedback from your team members). Consider: did people fulfill their roles and responsibilities before, during and after the event? what were the strengths in the perfomance of the team and individuals before, during and after the event?
4. Evaluate your own performance before, during and after the event.
5. Evaluate your planning. Consider:
   - complexity - was it too simple? too complex? how do you know?
   - assessment criteria - did your planning help meet your assessment criteria?
   - venue - did it work well?
   - feasibility research - How effective was this? Did it help avoid obvious problems?
   - aims - were they realistic?
   - objectives - were they all SMART?
   - satisfaction - did you planning provide good satisfaction to your customers?
   - marketing - what worked well? what did not? consider the 4ps. Explain your reasons.
   - physical resources - were these well planned? did you use them all?
   - finance - was this planned well? did you meet targets?
   - administration - how did your admin systems hold up?
   - contingencies - did these get made? did you have to use any?
   - risk assessment - how did the planning go for these? did you have to refer to any during the event?
   - legalities - were all legal aspects covered? did you miss any?
   - planning - was this phase too long? or long enough?
6. Evaluate customer satisfaction.
7. Evaluate the success of the event. You should take into consider customer views, team views and self view. Use a triangle evaluation diagram to present this graphically too (see p61).
   
8. Make comprehensive and realistic recommendations for improvement. Explain how this will improve success.

Learning Resources

p58-61 of AS Leisure Studies Textbook