An experiment that became its own survey success story over and over again
A survey workshop, supported by Natural Resource Investment Program (NRIP) funding, has paved the way for continued work supported through the Natural Resources Recovery Program (NRRP).
NQ Dry Tropics‘ MERI and Planning Coordinator Dr Jules Funnell had an idea to create a simple, step-by-step process NRM staff could use to develop good quality social surveys.
Surveying landholders, event participants and other stakeholders is a key component of the monitoring undertaken for NRM projects.
“We need to know if we have successfully increased knowledge and understanding, if we run an event well and what we could do better,” she said.
“And, we need to know how people arrive at the business and land management decisions they make.
“In NRM, we often need to ask landholders, participants, partners and stakeholders to complete multiple surveys — understandably this can lead to ‘survey fatigue’.
“The challenge for NRM staff is to create easy-to-complete surveys to get the right information.”
Surveys must also ensure the participant has an opportunity to voice an opinion. Most of all, it must be achieved with as few questions as possible!
Creating a survey may seem simple enough, but it doing it well is a science and an art.
Following the first workshop on developing surveys in 2019, NQ Dry Tropics refined the material and it became the Planning and Designing Surveys workshop.
An additional workshop — Survey Data Analysis and Presentation — was added to the course.
Staff now use the step-by-step process demonstrated in those workshops.
The workshops have been delivered every year since 2021, with a total of 65 participants, including people from other organisations such as councils and landcare groups.
With each iteration, the feedback from participants informs refinements in the way the workshop is delivered.
This is reflected in the consistently high evaluations – averaging 9 out of 10 – and the high likelihood of participants recommending it.
The workshops will continue to be offered while funding and resources allow it as they fill a gap in the training available to staff to undertake quality monitoring for NRM projects.
