How to Review a Competition With Staff and Volunteers

Running a successful competition, particularly in educational or community-focused settings, involves more than just the event itself. Post-event reviews with staff and volunteers are essential for evaluating performance, identifying areas for improvement, and planning better-organised competitions in the future. This article outlines a structured, practical approach to conducting a productive review session for staff and volunteers after a competition has taken place.

Why Post-Competition Reviews Matter

Conducting a thorough review ensures that the lessons learned from one event can refine the planning and delivery of subsequent competitions. Whether the competition was small and local or part of a larger organisation, reviewing it alongside those involved in its execution offers several benefits:

• Improves future planning: Honest reflection on what worked and what didn’t can lead to better processes.
• Boosts team engagement: Volunteers and staff feel valued when their input is sought after an event.
• Captures institutional memory: Documented reviews help preserve insights for future organisers and team members.
• Identifies training needs: Weaknesses in performance often point to areas where better training or clearer guidance is required.

Preparing for the Review Session

Preparation plays a critical role in the success of any review session. Organisers should ensure that they collect the necessary data and invite all relevant participants to the session.

1. Gather Feedback and Data

Before conducting the review, collect the following:

• Volunteer feedback forms or surveys
• Participant and audience evaluations (if applicable)
• Incident logs or notes on issues or challenges faced during the event
• Photographs, footage, timetables, and other documentation from the day

Feedback should include both qualitative comments (such as opinions and suggestions) and quantitative data (such as number of attendees, timings, or scoresheets submitted).

2. Arrange a Time and Setting

Set a date for the review soon after the event, ideally within one or two weeks. This ensures details are still fresh in people’s minds. The location should be comfortable and conducive to open discussion — either in person or via video call if team members are remote.

3. Share an Agenda in Advance

An agenda helps participants prepare and keeps the meeting focused. A sample agenda might include:

• Welcome and introduction
• Review of the event goals vs. outcomes
• Assessment of logistics (venue, timing, signage, etc.)
• Team roles and communication
• Issue resolution and emergency response
• Participant and audience experience
• Suggestions for future improvement

Establishing a Positive, Constructive Atmosphere

Team morale is important, especially for volunteers. The purpose of a review is growth, not fault-finding. To set the right tone:

• Start with thanks: Acknowledge everyone’s work and contribution — whatever their role.
• Focus on facts: Encourage a reflection based on observed outcomes, not speculation or blame.
• Encourage balanced input: Ask for both positives and negatives from all attendees.
• Moderate the discussion: Ensure everyone has a chance to speak and the conversation remains respectful.

Reviewing Key Areas of the Competition

The session should cover distinct aspects of the competition. It helps to structure these areas of review into logical categories, which may vary depending on the format and scale of the event.

1. Planning and Organisation

Discuss how well the planning phase translated into the actual event. This includes:

• Timeline adherence
• Budgeting and supplies
• Volunteer recruitment and allocation of roles
• Clarity of delegated responsibilities

Ask whether any aspects were overcomplicated or under-resourced. Consider also the availability and usefulness of pre-event training or briefing materials.

2. Communication

Clear and timely communication is essential. Review internal and external communication, such as:

• Pre-event email briefings
• Volunteer WhatsApp or messaging groups
• Broadcasting announcements during the event
• Handling of last-minute changes or delays

This is a good moment to evaluate responsiveness and coordination within the team. Gaps in communication often underlie other operational problems.

3. Venue and Physical Set-Up

Discuss the suitability and preparedness of the physical environment:

• Signage and directions
• Room availability and access
• Technical facilities (sound systems, projectors, microphones)
• Comfort, accessibility, and hygiene

It is useful to highlight the efficiency of set-up and pack-down and whether the available space matched expected attendance and usage.

4. Schedule and Timing

Accurate timing impacts not only judges and participants but also audience engagement and volunteer energy levels. Evaluate:

• Adherence to published schedules
• Delays or excess idle time
• Buffer time utilisation
• Timely starts and efficient transitions between phases

If any sessions overran or were rushed, staff should discuss the root causes and identify time-saving techniques or more realistic scheduling for the future.

5. Judging and Scoring Processes

Although volunteers may not be directly involved in judging, a brief review of how that process functioned can be valuable:

• Did judges receive the correct materials and schedules?
• Was the scoring system easy to understand and follow?
• Were scoresheets handled securely and transparently?

This discussion should focus on coordination and logistics rather than the content of scoring itself, which may fall under a different review setting.

6. Incident Handling

Unexpected challenges are normal. A documented discussion of how the team responded to issues — such as a late participant, a missing certificate, or an IT glitch — can help improve responsiveness next time. Consider:

• Were incidents resolved quickly and calmly?
• Were back-up plans available?
• Was escalation handled appropriately?

This becomes an opportunity to build protocols for handling stress or emergency situations efficiently.

7. Volunteer Experience and Morale

Volunteers are a critical asset and often the face of the event. The review should include reflection on:

• Clarity of roles and duties
• Access to support or a point of contact
• Provision of refreshments or downtime
• Post-event recognition or tokens of appreciation

Taking time to note their comfort and concerns ensures retention in future events and promotes a healthy organisational culture.

Documenting the Review

After the session, it is vital to record the discussion in a written report or summary document. This should capture:

• Agreed strengths and highlights
• Observed challenges and root causes
• Suggestions for improvement
• Action points and person(s) responsible

This document benefits both current organisers and future planning teams by serving as a reference point. Cloud-based folders or team wikis are useful places to store such files for easy access.

Implementing Improvements

The final step is ensuring the feedback leads to tangible changes. Allocate specific team members to follow through on documented action points. This could include updating procedures, adjusting timelines, or capturing revised briefing materials for next time.

Where necessary, arrange follow-up meetings for more detailed planning or problem-solving. Treat the review as a foundation for growth rather than a closed feedback loop.

Encouraging a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Reviewing a competition alongside staff and volunteers is not just a one-off procedure — it fosters a culture of transparency, learning, and pride in collaborative delivery. By thoughtfully engaging your team after each event, organisers can build stronger teams and ever more successful competitions over time.

Ensuring every voice is heard and insights are acted upon makes staff and volunteers more likely to return and contribute again. Over time, these improvements can also enhance reputation, attract more participants, and streamline operations for larger-scale events.

With consistent application, review practices become an integral part of the event lifecycle — just as critical as planning and delivery.

If you need help with your Quran competition platform or marking tools, email info@qurancompetitions.tech.