DIMACS Workshop Organizer's Guide: Evaluation

1. Evaluate the scientific accomplishments of the workshop.
   About a month after the workshop, send an email report discussing the goals, if and how they were met, particularly strong results or papers, collaborations that were started, and other scientific benefits. This should be emailed to the Workshop Coordinator. These reports are used in preparing reports to our funding agencies and they are an important part to documenting that we are fulfilling our mission. Please make an effort to produce an in-depth report concerning the scientific accomplishmnets of your event.

2. Evaluate the workshop processes and support.
   Please send an email to the Center Administrator (or the Director of DIMACS if you would prefer) with your comments concerning staff performance, on-site facilities, catering, and any other facets of the workshop organization experience. Of course we'd like to hear compliments, but we also need to hear complaints and suggestions for improvement. Please keep in mind that if we are not aware we have a problem we can't fix it.

3. Ask participants to fill out their evaluation forms.
   At the start of sessions remind people to fill them out and turn them in before leaving. We say things like: The NSF and other agencies really want to see these results. Tell them filling it out it is a small price to pay for the generous federal support we now get and want to get in coming years to support more of these workshops.) The NSF and other agencies really do want to see these evaluations so they can evaluate what they are spending the money on. And they need to see that we are setting goals, evaluating our programs, and using that to change programs to better achieve goals. And without that, there really will be no funding to continue these programs.

Workshop Organizer's Guide

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