Intended audience: DataKind Volunteers
To supplement the volunteer retrospective, an anonymous survey should be sent out to project volunteers to get additional feedback that people might not be comfortable sharing openly. The DataKind post-project feedback form allows us to capture that information and our volunteer Net Promoter Score, which is an indicator we use to measure our success in engaging volunteers at DataKind. If you are doing a project with DataKind Global or are with a chapter and do not want to customize your survey, send the volunteers this URL: https://forms.gle/PHFq8ZhDr2Dzsi1KA. DataKind staff will have access to the results from this survey for reflection. Chapter Leaders will also have access to the data from this survey by logging in with their datakind.org email addresses. If you are with a chapter and want to customize the survey, feel free to make a copy of the DataKind post-project feedback form and edit it to incorporate any additional questions you want answers to.
Survey the Project Champion
The Project Champion’s experience working with DataKind is crucial to capture, as they are the primary point of contact at the partner organization. This wrap-up survey enables us to capture feedback and a Net Promoter Score from our Project Champion. Send the Project Champion this URL: https://forms.gle/QjQn8xAM5svUjcBh9. Chapter Leaders and project leads will have access to the results from the survey for reflection.
Interview the Project Champion
After the survey, having a 30-60 minute interview with the Project Champion enables you to capture qualitative data through a discussion. Prepare the Project Champion by sending them the questions you plan to ask in advance. The following questions are a guide to help you get information we can use to improve our DataKind processes.
Engagement Questions/Discussion
- How did the DataKind experience meet, or not meet, your expectations? Why do you think this occurred?
- Are there any changes you wish DataKind had implemented to improve the project? (Do not prompt with examples unless asked, but this could include things like adding volunteers or extending the deadline.)
- Do you feel your organization was prepared for the project? Why/why not?
- How did you feel about the project onboarding process? Reflecting on the experience, what are 1-3 things that could have been improved?
- What was the highlight of this project for you or your organization? (Do not prompt with examples unless asked, but this could include things like an easy to implement solution or friendly volunteers.)
- We’re interested in continuously improving our project process. What are 1-3 things you would suggest we do to improve the process? (Do not prompt with examples unless asked, but this could include things like greater meeting frequency or more chances to test deliverables.)
- In an ideal world, if DataKind had unlimited resources, how do you wish we could continue to support your organization?
Volunteer Questions/Discussion
The team consisted of DataKind staff and volunteers. The majority of communication was with the volunteers, so we would love to learn more about your experience with them.
- How would you rate the technical expertise and communication skills of the volunteer team?
- How well do you think the volunteers understood the project and how it fit into your organization’s larger mission?
- How was the experience of working with volunteers? (Do not prompt with examples unless asked, but this could include things like they were responsive to emails or that the partner would’ve liked to have more meetings.)
Deliverables Questions/Discussion
Thinking about the solution provided for your organization…
- In what ways do you believe this solution will improve your organization’s work?
- How understandable do you feel the solution to be? For example, can you easily train others on the solution? Is it easy to explain to multiple audiences?
- Do you feel your organization was prepared for the [project solution]? For example, did you have the needed software or staff training?
- Can you envision this solution being used elsewhere in the [sector name] sector?
Survey and/or Interview Other Stakeholders
If you worked with any other key stakeholders during the project, please survey, interview, or include them in a project retrospective as well. Use discretion for the right method to collect data from them based on the way they engaged with the project. You can make a copy of the Project Champion or volunteer survey and adjust the questions as you see fit, or create your own interview script to understand the stakeholders’ experience.
Using the Results to Strengthen Programmatic Offerings
DataKind strives to continuously adjust its processes to best support partner organizations and volunteers. To that end, these survey results allow DataKind to learn more about their experience and ways in which it could be improved. As a reminder, responses are always confidential and will never include details that directly identify the respondent. For qualitative responses, we also provide a text box for complaints and/or feedback. If an issue is raised, we will directly follow up only if it is requested. The completed surveys are kept in a secure place, which are never shared with anyone outside of DataKind staff and Chapter Leaders. If survey results are used internally for DataKind programmatic decision-making, findings would only be presented in aggregate. If you have any questions about these surveys, please feel free to use the button on the left to “Provide Feedback, Ask Questions!”
Contributer(s): Caitlin Augustin, Mitali Ayyangar, Benjamin Kinsella, Caroline Charrow, Shanna Lee, Mallory Sheff
Contact us
If you would like to learn more about us, partner with us, or get in touch, email us at community@datakind.org
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