Participant observation provides a means to monitor the way in which people interact in a workshop or other activity.

Participant observation can include whether participants seem attentive, or ask questions and engage in discussion. Observations can also be made of the setting in which an activity is occurring.

It is important to clarify the objectives of the activity prior to the observation in order to know whether the observer should look out for particular things occurring.  The information recorded can be used alongside other data, such as a post-activity questionnaire or dartboard, to evaluate whether the activity met its aims, or what lessons there were to be learnt from conducting the activity.

Further Links & Resources

Roberts Evaluation provides a guide on how to undertake participant observation.

The University of Wisconsin Program Development and Evaluation has a Guide on Collecting Evaluation Data: Direct Observation