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Reprints permissible only if article is reproduced in its entirety. © 2002 Development Testing Services

Surveys - What do you do with all that information?

Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Community Church, says in his book The Purpose Driven Church that "To remain effective … in an ever-changing world you need to continually evaluate (assess) what you do."

Unfortunately, some surveys or assessments do more harm than good. We have found that often the most difficult part of doing a survey is understanding the results and dealing with the information. (Look at the mistakes Moses made in delivering the survey results to the people of Israel in Numbers 13 - it caused them to wander in the wilderness for forty years!)

On the other hand, we have seen where the proper utilization of survey information has become one of the greatest things that ever happened to a school or church or mission organization. One survey user wrote us:

We used your survey to identify weaknesses and strengths . . . so that we could correct and magnify. I really valued the information, it was a major part of our long-range planning.

Kurt Micka, Salt Lake Christian Academy, Sandy, UT

Because of this, we have developed a strategy for using survey information that has been useful in taking the information from paper to workable plans.

Successful utilization of your PinPoint Survey depends almost entirely on follow-through. Each of these three steps are critical. If you skip one, particularly the last one, you will begin to hear comments like, "Why bother to give them our opinions, they never do anything with them anyway!" or "I hate planning sessions, nothing ever comes of them..."

STEP ONE: Prepare to Plan

This step should be done by the Principal, Pastor, Administrator, Board Chairman, an outside facilitator, or an assigned individual who will direct the planning process.

1) Determine who should participate in the evaluation and implementation.

Keep in mind that ownership of The Plan is important for those who will help carry it out. Enlist these individuals into a Survey Task Force, or some sort of planning committee.

2) Set aside a specific time for evaluation and planning.

A minimum of four hours will be necessary - longer if the group is large.

3) Provide each member with a copy of the written analysis.

Expect each committee member to come to the meeting studied-up on the results.

4) Draw up an agenda for the meeting outlining the procedures found in step two

STEP TWO: Meet for evaluation and drafting of "The Plan."

1) Review the Written Analysis and the Survey Charts.

The goals for this time should be twofold:
Determine if you agree with DTS's findings & recommendations.
Identify issues that the task force believes are important and add them to or subtract them from this list.

2) Refine the issues.

At this point it may be necessary to broaden the titles of some of the issues and
incorporate several, or it may be necessary to narrow some descriptions into more bite-sized issues.

3) Determine your priorities.

You may want to discuss each issue in light of:

Is this something which impacts our ability to accomplish our mission?

Is this an issue which is philosophically or ethically opposed to or supportive of our values?

Is this an issue that will significantly help us or hurt us if we do or don't address it?

Because some individuals naturally do not get very involved in presenting their concerns, a good way to prioritize the issues (after some discussion) is to give each member 200 points that they can assign to the items they believe are important. They can assign between 5 and 50 points to any item they want. Then, issue-by-issue have them call out how many points they gave to each and why.

Key issues will rise to the top.

4) Select your top priorities.

Begin with only 1-3 issues. At this point you are choosing which specific items
you will be working on over the next 1+ years.

5) Draft your Plan - utilize profiles.

Taking one priority at a time:
Do your best to describe the issue as it is now, and how it should look when you are through with your Plan.

Profile the current situation

For instance: computer lab. "We currently have 5 computers, all in use in various offices. 4 of our classrooms have computers that belong to that class's teacher. Current teaching of computer skills is limited to teachers in these four classes teaching their students how to work MS Windows 98, how to open and close the paint program and MS Word. We have no typing skills class. We do have a room available for the lab."

Profile the end "product."

"We would like to have a dedicated classroom with at least 12 computers. Rather than network the computers, each will stand alone with its own printer. We would like the computers to be Internet ready. We would eventually like to have students develop and manage our own web page. We would like to use computer lab to publish our own newsletter. We would like to use computer to format our own yearbook. Within 2 years require secondary students to produce typed papers utilizing computer lab."

Establish detailed steps necessary to get from "A" to "B" - each priority requires

Price / purchase equipment.

This includes: cost/source + space needs + time line + personnel responsible

Price / purchase software

Price / purchase annual supplies cost

Price / locate / hire additional teacher / teacher time

Determine courses to teach, teaching materials necessary.

Outline what resources are needed

in the way of time, space, equipment, personnel and finances to accomplish the task. Be sure to answer the question: where will the money come from and how will responsibilities be moved around to guarantee that the necessary time is available? Make sure those who have the responsibilities also have the authority and resources to get the job done!

Decide who is/are the best person(s) to both oversee the task and to get it done.

Clarify lines of accountability. Specify - How you will measure whether your expectations have been met. Remember: set reasonable and attainable goals.

STEP THREE: Follow-up on your Plan

1) Set a specific time and place when you will revisit each issue.

This will flow naturally from the dates in your Plan.

2) Set a specific time and method to measure whether or not your Plan has been successful.

3) Schedule and keep these meetings!

Remember, successful utilization of your PinPoint Survey depends almost entirely on follow-through. Each of these three steps are critical - particularly the follow-through. One way to guarantee completion of your tasks is to appoint a committee member or task force member to be Follow-Up Director. His / her responsibility is just to make sure that all tasks are completed, and completed on time.

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© 2002 Development Testing Services