Results from the Extravaganza 2020 Evaluations

Dear friends,

Thank you so much!  I am overwhelmed by the Extravaganza 2020 Evaluations you filled out.  We have completed going through the responses and creating reports for them.  The Extravaganza team leaders will meet next week in Minneapolis to review the responses and to dial in on the planning process for 2021.  I’m excited for us to go through the data with them and to let that help shape next year’s event.

The full report on the evaluations is 56 pages long (with the comments all included, in 10pt. font, single space).  So there is a ton of data there.  I just wanted to share the general information and feedback we learned from what you told us.

First, I was blown away by the response.  234 of you (not including exhibitors, who received a different evaluation) filled out the evaluation forms.  That is a 47% return rate, which is a phenomenal rate of return.  This reminds me how much people who participate in the Extravaganza care about the event.  Thanks to all of you who participated.

Other data from the event that I thought was interesting:

From the registration forms (so this info comes from everyone at the event) we learned that:

• 15% of the Extravaganza participants serve as volunteers
• 20% described their work as part time, and;
• 64% described their role as full time.

In addition, we learned that

• 18.5% of the participants were pastors
• 13.3% were deacons, and;
• 68.2% are not on the ELCA roster

We were fascinated by the numbers of how many Extravaganzas our participants had been to.

• For 24% of the participants, this was their first Extravaganza
• 15% attended one before
• 13% attended 10 or more

So 39% of the participants had been to less than two Extravaganzas, which is a number that has significant implications for how we plan the event.

And we learned that 11.8% of our participants self-identified as “people of color.”

When asked “How did you find out about the Extravaganza,” the results were not surprising.  140 of the 234 who filled out the evaluation indicated that you were invited by another person.  This is a great reminder of the relational nature of our community and of the event.  It is also a reminder that you are the best and most important advocates we have for this event, and for the Network.

One of the questions we pay a lot of attention is “On a scale of 1 (no chance) to 10 (absolutely!), how likely are you to recommend the Extravaganza to a friend?”

The average score for this question was 9.15, which is a phenomenal score.

We also use this question to calculate our “Net Promoter Score,” which is a business tool for evaluating effectiveness.  Possible scores could be anywhere from -100 to +100.  Anything above “0” is considered a good score.  Above 50 is considered “great” and above 70 is considered “world class.”  Extravaganza 2020 scored 71.

As you can imagine, drawing wisdom from all of the comments is more of a challenge.  But we went through the evaluations thoroughly and were able to draw themes out that will be helpful as we plan ahead.  I’ll share some of those themes with you:

Regarding the general sessions:

• Overall the feedback was very positive.
• Music is always interesting.  Everyone pretty much thought the band was good.  Most people enjoyed that style of music, and some people didn’t.  That is one of those areas that is hard to nail down.  We have discussed having several different musicians over the weekend, but the issues there are consistency and a higher cost.  We’ll keep working on this.
• People really appreciated tying together the tracks and the general sessions.  That was a definite “plus.”
• People also loved the creativity panel.

Regarding the new track format:

• The responses were deeply appreciative that the Network was willing to try something new.
• The concept of “track learning” scored really highly as well.  The opportunity to go deeper in a learning area was a positive change.
• We heard loud and clear that participants wished the tracks had been carried more consistently throughout the event instead of simply on the front and back ends with workshops in the middle.  This is a change we will implement for 2021.
• People also wished for something different in the Monday closing track session.  The focus on coaching didn’t quite provide the closure that people were hoping for.  In some of the tracks, it went ok.  In some of the tracks, people felt like it was more of an advertisement for coaching, which didn’t quite “scratch them where they itched.”
• Having the workshops connect to the tracks was also popular.  And people appreciated the ability to jump to a workshop in a different track if people thought that might be more helpful.

Speaking of helpfulness, this year, the move to a track format was an effort for us to be more “helpful” to participants in their ministry.  So a question we asked was “What was helpful?”

• Again, the tracks were lifted up.
• The coffee available for free in the morning (duh!)
• The continued focus on networking and community.

A couple of other random areas:

• The group loved being at the Hyatt in Anaheim.  The hotel did a great job taking care of us and it was appreciated.  Some people commented on the cost, which we knew would be an issue.  But others appreciated that occasionally we go somewhere kind of “fun.”  We will continue the practice of mixing in a place like Anaheim every few years.
• We received a lot of positive feedback on the app, and our effort to reduce paper usage.  The ability to create a personalized schedule within the app was lifted up as a benefit.
• People appreciated the deep intentionality of making sure our main stage speakers came from diverse backgrounds, and were grateful for the work that’s gone in to that.  Several people noted that the Network Board, when introduced, seemed pretty non-diverse.  To be fair, two members of the board who are people of color were unable to be at the session due to situations outside of their control, when they were introduced (which we didn’t know at the time it was scheduled or we would have scheduled it differently).
• As a follow up, people wondered what the system was for creating more diverse leadership teams.  This is an area, like the whole church, that the Network continues to work on and needs to work harder.  It is an area of focus and we hope to see more diversity in leadership as we move forward.  We are committed to this important work.
• People appreciated that workshop and other learning resources would be made available on MartinsList.  We continue to work to get those material posted.
• And gratitude was shared that many of the learning sessions helped people develop concrete plans to take home and use.

And one of the most important questions we ask is “I will be back next year:”

• 85% of participants said “Count me in!”
• 15% said “I might take a year or two off”
• and 0% said “no chance.”

Again, we are very thankful for all of your feedback.  Know that we listen closely and pay serious attention to what is shared.  It will influence the Extravaganza team and the Network’s work as we plan for the future.

Thanks for being who you are!  Thanks for being the Network!

Networked in Christ,
Todd

Rev. Todd Buegler
Pastor – Trinity Lutheran Church; Owatonna, Mn
Executive Director – ELCA Youth Ministry Network