Evaluate It

Assessment, or the formal process of evaluation, is a word that can cause some anxiety. If you’ve had a job that offered them, just think about the last time you had a formal performance evaluation. Even if you excel on your job, you’ll still have a hint of uneasiness during your evaluation. It is slightly uncomfortable to wait to hear another person’s perspective about your performance.

I’ve learned, however, that assessment can be amazing. Assessment can provide the information needed to justify your assumptions or make tough decisions. Just think about how much more confident you would be when telling people that your business is awesome if you had documented customer feedback to support what you say.

Assessment isn’t a new protocol. God started it a long time ago. After each day of creation, He paused to evaluate what He made. Each day, the result was the same. It was good!

In Matthew 16:13-17, Jesus conducted an assessment. He wanted to know popular opinion about who He was. He also wanted to know private opinion – specifically, His disciples’ opinion – about who He was. He asked two questions to find the answers He wanted:

1. Who do the people say that I am?
2. Who do you, disciples, say that I am?

Their answers served as the launching pad to His next lesson.

I believe you can weave assessment into your business routine.  The following process, D-Q-F, will help you implement amazing assessments:

(1) DATA: First, determine the data you want.  I’m literally saying, “Start with the end in mind.”  By determining the information that is critical for your success first, you can eliminate random and unnecessary efforts.

The data Jesus wanted was public and private perception.  He wanted to know how people perceived Him based on His actions.

What data do you want?  Do you want to know how well your employees know the mission of your business?  Do you want to know how customers perceive their experiences with your employees?  Do you want to know how much people will pay for a service you want to offer?  Figure out what you want to know, and the remaining steps in the process will flow.

(2) QUESTIONS: After determining what you want to know, develop questions to get that information.  Jesus’ questions were derived from the data He sought.  He wanted public and private perceptions, and that’s exactly what He asked for.

The key to this step is to ask questions that are clear to the target audience you select.  Sometimes, things that are clear to you may not be clear to others.  Have you ever said something to someone who responded with a puzzled facial expression?  That’s exactly what I’m talking about.  The message given was not the message received.  Make sure your questions make sense to those who will provide the data you need.

If you wanted to get the data I used in the previous step, here are some questions you could ask:

1. What is our mission statement?
2. How would you rate your experience?
3. How much would you be willing to pay for this service?

Of all the steps in this process, this one is the most critical.  Your questions will give you data.  Just make sure you get the right data.

(3) FORMAT: The last step is to determine the format for your questions.  Jesus chose in-person, open-ended questions.  What format will you choose?

In this age of technology, you have numerous options for the format of your questions.  Here are a few:

1. In-person / Focus Group: Assemble a group of people and ask questions while you take notes.
2. Electronic Survey: Create your questions using Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, Survey Monkey, or another electronic platform.
3. Paper Survey: Place your questions on a piece of paper and leave room for people to answer.

I’ll conclude this post with a few nuggets of wisdom.  First, don’t expect 100% participation in any survey you conduct.  The average response rate is 25%, so don’t get discouraged if everyone doesn’t complete your survey.

Second, you should commit to use the results.  Don’t weave assessment into your business routine just to do it.  Instead, be intentional with the data.  Use it to start or cease activities in your business.  Use it to have concrete evidence for your assumptions.

I believe that you can take your business to unimaginable levels by incorporating assessment into your standard operations.  I believe that if you determine the data you want, develop questions to gain that data, and deliver the questions in a format that is conducive to the audience you’re targeting, you can implement an amazing assessment.  If you consistently assess your business, then I believe and declare that God will help you use the results to improve your business!