Every day, we all need to make certain judgments or take certain
actions, based on our personal interpretation of certain facts. While
ideally that interpretation should be open-minded and based on facts,
often it is simply an emotional reaction, based on little more than our
own personal bias or point of view. Beware of anyone that narrowly interprets anything, especially when it is done to support his personal position or self - interest. When you use the services of either a financial or real estate professional, carefully review and judge the caliber of advice or suggestions on whether they show only pros and no cons, or vice versa. For example, don't narrowly select your real estate agent based on only one factor, such as commission, or how highly they suggest you price you home to list. Be ruled by logic instead of emotions, because others will generally be far more objective than you. Spend the time being objectively introspective!
The ideal way to interpret any information is by carefully reviewing all the facts given, and then reviewing them for factual accuracy. The next thing to do is review the raw data, rather than someone else' s interpretation of that data. Of course, this takes developing an expert skill - set whereby one becomes capable of interpreting raw data. Interpreting data means first understanding where the actual data comes from, how it was supplied, and what methodology was used. If it is some sort of "sampling," it is important to know the size of the sampling, who gathered the data, how it was collected and collated, and what the "statistical error" is for that particular sampling (that is usually stated as being plus or minus a specific percentage). The next thing to do is to look at the actual questions or categories examined, and whether the way the question may have been worded could have been a possible factor in the skewing of the data. Then, one must analyze what the significance of this data is, or if it is relevant to what you are examining at all.
In examining the dynamics of not-for-profit organizations for several decades, I have observed that after a meeting, seminar, etc., many organizations feel the necessity to use some sort of questionnaire. It seems that these organizations feel that the feedback received via these questionnaires will be valuable in understanding the success or failure of the meeting. However, it has been found repeatedly that the wording of the questionnaire, the excitement of the group dynamics (especially right after a meeting), etc. unduly influence responses to these forms. In addition, many attendees cannot adequately identify the true needs that needed to be addressed by this seminar, so they are really simply stating whether they liked or disliked the meeting. If a meeting or seminar was goal-oriented and action-directed, the responses to these questionnaires are even less valuable, because how can an attendee who is not an expert on a particular subject, evaluate how well that topic was discussed.
There is nothing wrong with using questionnaires for obtaining certain types of limited information. Certainly, political organizations and candidates can use polling as a guide toward what their constituents want. However, if the purpose is measure how well someone learned information, most individuals are not the best judges of their own progress, especially when they are not perhaps sure what they needed to know, in the first place.
Understand that the value of any data is often based on how it's being interpreted. In any endeavor, it is essential to proceed with your eyes wide - open!
One must understand that their is a basic difference between something that is data-based, and something that is merely emotional. Unfortunately, most individuals are not equipped adequately to properly understand all the nuances.
The ideal way to interpret any information is by carefully reviewing all the facts given, and then reviewing them for factual accuracy. The next thing to do is review the raw data, rather than someone else' s interpretation of that data. Of course, this takes developing an expert skill - set whereby one becomes capable of interpreting raw data. Interpreting data means first understanding where the actual data comes from, how it was supplied, and what methodology was used. If it is some sort of "sampling," it is important to know the size of the sampling, who gathered the data, how it was collected and collated, and what the "statistical error" is for that particular sampling (that is usually stated as being plus or minus a specific percentage). The next thing to do is to look at the actual questions or categories examined, and whether the way the question may have been worded could have been a possible factor in the skewing of the data. Then, one must analyze what the significance of this data is, or if it is relevant to what you are examining at all.
In examining the dynamics of not-for-profit organizations for several decades, I have observed that after a meeting, seminar, etc., many organizations feel the necessity to use some sort of questionnaire. It seems that these organizations feel that the feedback received via these questionnaires will be valuable in understanding the success or failure of the meeting. However, it has been found repeatedly that the wording of the questionnaire, the excitement of the group dynamics (especially right after a meeting), etc. unduly influence responses to these forms. In addition, many attendees cannot adequately identify the true needs that needed to be addressed by this seminar, so they are really simply stating whether they liked or disliked the meeting. If a meeting or seminar was goal-oriented and action-directed, the responses to these questionnaires are even less valuable, because how can an attendee who is not an expert on a particular subject, evaluate how well that topic was discussed.
There is nothing wrong with using questionnaires for obtaining certain types of limited information. Certainly, political organizations and candidates can use polling as a guide toward what their constituents want. However, if the purpose is measure how well someone learned information, most individuals are not the best judges of their own progress, especially when they are not perhaps sure what they needed to know, in the first place.
Understand that the value of any data is often based on how it's being interpreted. In any endeavor, it is essential to proceed with your eyes wide - open!
One must understand that their is a basic difference between something that is data-based, and something that is merely emotional. Unfortunately, most individuals are not equipped adequately to properly understand all the nuances.
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