How to measure what really matters at your event
Remember the days of flipping through a stack of paper surveys on your flight home from an event, highlighter in hand, hoping to uncover golden insights that proved your program was a smashing success? We’ve come a long way from that ritual, but not as far as we think. While digital surveys have replaced paper, most post-event evaluations are still chasing the same question: Did it work?
Here’s the catch: Those surveys usually capture only the loudest voices, like people who absolutely loved the event or had something to complain about. The vast middle majority? They’re often silent. And when response rates are already hovering in the single digits, that lack of data can skew your understanding of success.
Even worse, today’s audiences are suffering from survey fatigue. Research shows participation drops sharply in surveys that exceed three minutes. By the time you hit the nine-minute mark, more than half of respondents have abandoned the effort. And who can blame them? We’ve all clicked “Start Survey” only to tap out three questions in.
That’s why we need to rethink how we define and measure event success.
Look for Signals in the Moment
Rather than relying on lagging indicators, planners should be looking for real-time signals, like those cues that emerge during the experience itself. We’re talking about badge scans, session check-ins, live polling, social media activity, Wi-Fi dwell time and, yes, even facial expressions. These are critical clues to how your audience is feeling and engaging in the moment.
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This is where technology, especially AI, is helping to reshape the measurement game. By capturing data in real-time, we’re no longer stuck with post-event guesswork. We can see what’s resonating (and what’s not) while the event is still happening.
AI Has Entered the Chat
Today, tools powered by AI and neuroscience can help you go deeper than click rates or star reviews. For example, facial analytics platforms like Zenus can analyze crowd expressions anonymously to understand energy levels and reactions to speakers, videos or panels. These tools translate physical cues into usable insights without invading privacy.
Similarly, wearable tech is opening new doors. By tapping into the smartwatches and fitness trackers that attendees already wear, we can measure neurological engagement in real time. Platforms like Immersion measure subtle changes in blood flow and other biometrics to quantify how emotionally connected someone is to what they’re seeing and hearing. The result? Moment-by-moment data that tells you exactly what content moved your audience.
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At Bishop-McCann, we use an internal measurement system we call the JOY Index, which combines these AI tools and wearable data to give us a real-time, science-backed view of audience sentiment. While every organization may not have access to this exact solution, the approach illustrates what’s possible: You can measure how engaged people are as an event unfolds, not just after the fact.
During one recent internal event, we used facial analytics and smartwatches to track attendee reactions throughout the general session. We discovered the exact moment when a keynote speaker lost the room and the exact point when a surprise video regained their attention. That’s the kind of insight that allows you to adjust programming on the fly and build smarter agendas moving forward.
Don’t Throw Out the Survey; Reposition It
Surveys still have a role to play. They’re useful for capturing qualitative feedback and open-ended comments that technology alone can’t surface. But surveys should be just one piece of the puzzle that’s used to contextualize and validate the real-time data you’re collecting elsewhere.
Think of your measurement plan like a story arc. Real-time tools give you the action scenes and the moments of peak emotion or disengagement. Surveys help you write the closing chapter, where you tie together themes and hear from your audience in their own words.
The Future of Event Measurement Is Predictive
As we collect more real-time data across more events, AI models are starting to predict outcomes. Measurement isn’t just about justifying ROI anymore. It’s about unlocking the full potential of your event.
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With a background in broadcast production and pioneering roots in the web, Todd Moritz, Bishop-McCann vice president of event technology, brings over three decades of unique experience to help deliver highly complex events for the world’s leading clients.
