When to debrief

Firstly make sure that staff feel free to report problems encountered and how they resolved them during the running of the event. There should be some sort of log or register in the event manager’s office to record these. Several times each day the event manager should review suggestions that have been made. The suggestions may highlight a potentially major problem, or be the key to resolving a problem that has puzzled supervisors for some time. Do not ask people with comments and suggestions to wait until the end of the day, or the evening of the event. Things can easily be forgotten, so lessons should be learned and implemented as soon as possible.

At the end of the last day staff will be tired and possibly cold and wet, or sunburned, dirty and hungry. They will almost certainly want to get home to have a bath or shower and put their feet up. Before any of the teams are dismissed or begin to drift off, and while things are still fresh in their minds, gather them together and ask for comments and suggestions.

It is also useful to allow members of staff the option to submit debrief information later. While cold and tired they may have forgotten to tell you something quite important. Make provision for them to submit late debriefs. Especially where an event is due to be repeated next year, make sure that there is a way for staff to report matters later. You may want to hand out addressed forms, or give them a note with your email address so that they can submit thoughts later.

I remember one late comment that came from a conversation as the car park marshals were walking to their cars. ‘Did I tell you about that guy from the water board? Next year they are putting a water main through the event ground.’ That little throwaway comment was a fact that the farmer had forgotten to tell us – so the hunt was on for an alternative venue for the next year.