During and after the first iteration of the Strategy Week, now named Voys PACE for Planning, Alignment and Cohesion Event, we captured feedback to learn how to improve the event for the next iterations.
We received a total of 63 responses on our feedback form and we also captured informal feedback that we observed or received during and after the event.
This page summarizes the feedback and lists actions to take to improve the event.
Summary
The general tone of the feedback is very positive. The respondents by-and-large like the new event and both days are seen to be relevant and helpful for their roles. Elements of the experience like location, hybrid-friendliness, finding your way around and duration all score rather high. The serendipity window and the ideas and voting elements received rather low scores in general, although the people that did join the serendipity window were positive about it. Areas for improvement are expectations about the event, energy levels during the day and clarity about what is happening where.
General
If all inspiration fails you, and you decide to not use chatGPT, what better way to get a feel for sentiment than a word cloud! ;)
The gist of the responses to the question how the strategy week contributes to the Voys purpose and goals is that it helps to see the bigger picture, to align with other circles (I took out the words circle and circles) and to feel more connected to the overall goals of the company.
Practical side of things
Overall, the feedback seems to highlight several key points:
- Duration: Many felt the days were long and intense, suggesting that two days might be too much. Some mentioned feeling drained by the end.
- Location: The office space was generally liked, but there were issues with finding specific rooms or presentations, especially in Spys.
- This was very much related to the amount of teams presenting. Will this be the same?
- Hybrid-Friendliness: While the hybrid setup was appreciated for inclusivity, there were technical issues with microphones and cameras, and some found it difficult to engage fully online.
- Navigation: Clear signage and maps were suggested to improve navigation within the office.
- Presentation Setup: Issues were noted with the setup for hybrid presentations, such as poor camera angles and inadequate equipment.
- Information Overload: Some felt there was too much information to process in a short time, and it was challenging to attend all desired presentations.
Based on this feedback, improvements could include optimizing the schedule to reduce information overload, enhancing the hybrid presentation setup, improving signage and navigation within the office, and potentially reconsidering the duration of the event.
- Lunch: Some participants found lunch hectic and suggested prepared sandwiches to reduce wait times.
- Schedule and Presentations: Recommendations included reducing the number of presentations to four for smaller circles and implementing a conference-like timesheet to view presentation schedules.
- Communication and Planning: Suggestions were made to improve communication about upcoming events, such as the P.A.C.E week, and to allow more time for planning and preparation.
- Hybrid Setup: Participants emphasized the need for proper equipment and a more structured approach to hybrid presentations.
- Navigation and Information: Improvements such as clearer signage, detailed schedules, and better utilization of communication channels like Slack were suggested to enhance navigation and accessibility to information.
- Attendee Experience: Recommendations included ensuring adequate attendance for presentations, providing more opportunities for interaction, and offering a variety of presentation formats.
- Duration and Structure: Participants proposed shorter durations, spread over more days, to alleviate feelings of being rushed and overwhelmed.
- Equity and Accessibility: Suggestions included ensuring equal opportunities for all circles to present, providing better access to presentations, and improving the overall experience for both in-person and remote attendees.