Surveying hybrid event participation
Your event had delegates in the room and delegates online, and one survey cannot treat them the same way.
The short answer
A hybrid survey should ask the same core questions of both groups and add a short set specific to each mode. Record how each person took part, in the room, online or both, so you can read the two groups separately.
Compare experience between modes with care. The groups differ in who they are and why they chose that mode, so avoid claiming one mode was better without saying so.
Decide the question you want answered
Hybrid surveys usually serve one of three purposes: judge whether online delegates could take part meaningfully, decide whether to offer the hybrid option again, or improve each mode. Name the decision first.
Link it to your feedback objectives so the hybrid questions are not an afterthought.
Core and mode-specific questions
| Group | Questions to ask | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone | How did you take part? Which sessions did you join? Overall relevance to your work. One thing to change. | Allows shared comparison and splits answers by mode. |
| In the room | Ease of hearing and seeing speakers, interaction with online delegates, networking, venue arrangements. | Checks whether the hybrid set-up changed the room experience. |
| Online | Ability to hear and see, ability to ask questions, sense of being included, connection problems, access to materials. | Checks the online experience on its own terms. |
| Those who did both | Why did you switch or combine modes? | Explains choices without assuming a ranking. |
Reaching both groups
- Send the survey through the same channel at the same time, and tell both groups where to find it.
- Allow online delegates to answer straight after sessions, and in-room delegates by QR or paper on the day.
- Keep the survey short on a mobile screen, since many online delegates will use one.
- Offer the same language options to both groups.
Reading the results fairly
Response rates will differ by mode. Report how many delegates of each mode responded and how many attended in that mode.
Delegates who chose online may differ in travel limits, caring duties or confidence, so a different score does not show one mode is better. Treat gaps as prompts for follow-up, not verdicts.
Technical issues and personal data
Ask about connection problems in plain words and have the technical supplier supply their own logs if you need to compare. Do not infer technical performance from survey answers alone.
Online platforms may hold attendance and chat data. Ask your data protection contact what may be linked to survey responses and for how long.
Building the survey
Draft both versions using the feedback questionnaire builder, set the same response scales for both groups and record results by mode in the benefit evidence tracker.
Worked example · Fictional example
An association surveys its hybrid annual meeting
Fictional organisation and figures, written to show the level of detail that is useful.
A fictional trade association held a one-day meeting with about 120 delegates in the room and 70 online. The committee wanted to decide whether to offer the online option again.
The survey asked all delegates six core questions, plus four for each mode, and recorded how each person took part. The report showed responses by mode with response counts, and noted that online delegates more often mentioned difficulty asking questions. The committee chose to trial a moderated question channel rather than draw a conclusion about which mode was better.
Use this yourself
Hybrid participation question set
Copy this list and adapt it. Mark which questions go to which group.
- How did you take part? In the room, online, both. (All)
- Which sessions did you join? (All)
- How relevant was the event to your work? Labelled five-point scale. (All)
- What is one thing to change for next time? (All)
- How easy was it to hear and see the speakers? (In the room and online, same scale)
- How easy was it to ask a question? (In the room and online, same scale)
- How included did you feel with delegates in the other mode? (All)
- Did you have connection or access problems? Describe briefly. (Online)
- How useful were the networking options for you? (All)
- Would you take part in this mode again? Yes, No, Not sure. (All)
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- The hybrid set-up was simple and the audience small enough to follow up.
- Your own committee will read the results and make a modest decision.
- The platform supplier gives you simple attendance information.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Both groups are large and you need to compare modes fairly.
- Results will decide a major investment in hybrid delivery.
- Technical, programme and moderation issues overlap and need one owner to coordinate.
Need a fair view of hybrid participation?
An Event Blueprint can include the hybrid feedback plan: which questions go to which group, how results are split by mode without overclaiming, what the platform supplier is asked to report and what your data protection contact reviews. Your committee keeps the decision about whether to offer hybrid again.
Questions organisers ask
Can we use one survey for both groups?
Yes, with shared core questions and a short mode-specific set. Record how each person took part so you can split the results.
Can we conclude which mode is better?
Not from a survey alone. The groups differ in who they are and why they chose that mode. Report the differences and use them to ask better follow-up questions.
Should the survey link be shown in the room and online?
Yes, at the same time and in a form that works for each group, for example a QR code in the room and a link in the chat.
Who reports on technical problems?
The technical supplier can report on logs and incidents. The survey only records what delegates experienced; treat the two as separate evidence.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.