--- title: "Wednesday Buzz: Always Be Improving" id: "43141" type: "post" slug: "wednesday-buzz-always-be-improving" published_at: "2018-06-27T20:44:44+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T22:14:20+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/06/27/wednesday-buzz-always-be-improving/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/06/27/wednesday-buzz-always-be-improving.md" excerpt: "What you do after a meeting is the key to improving next year’s event. Also: How to spark curiosity in conference attendees." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "attendee engagement" - "continuous improvement" - "event planning" - "Meetings" - "Mid-Level Professional" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Wednesday Buzz: Always Be Improving A well-fun conference requires a lot of planning and foresight, but the strategic thinking shouldn’t end when the last attendee goes home. To keep people coming back year after year, it’s important that your organization practice continuous improvement. “One of the simplest ways to practice continuous improvement is to incorporate a process evaluation,” writes nonprofit thought leader Beth Kanter in a [new blog post (opens in a new tab)](http://www.bethkanter.org/trainer-reflect-improve/) . “It is important to write down observations as the event or program unfolds because if you wait until the event is over, there is a chance you won’t remember it in vivid detail.” Kanter also recommends conducting an “after action review” that includes reflecting and incorporating lessons learned. Capture notes and observations from the meeting by using a collaboration tool like Google Docs so all notes can be in the same place. Review the notes and lessons in a post-meeting debrief and incorporate feedback from participant surveys. ### Curiouser and Curiouser > The Fantastic, Super-Sized, Research Proven Benefits Of Curiosity by [@JeffHurt (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/JeffHurt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [https://t.co/TANKXWZXGs (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/TANKXWZXGs) > [#pcma (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/pcma?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#eventprofs (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventprofs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — Dave Lutz (@VelChain) [June 25, 2018 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/VelChain/status/1011283730621718529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Speaking of improving conferences** … one of the pillars of a successful event is attendee engagement, and you can’t get there without inspiring curiosity. “Conference organizers that create a culture of curiosity gain both a short and long term competitive edge,” [writes Jeff Hurt in recent Velvet Chainsaw blog post (opens in a new tab)](https://velvetchainsaw.com/2018/06/22/the-fantastic-super-sized-research-proven-benefits-of-curiosity/) . “Those that exhibit curiosity tend to be more creative, more successful, and more fulfilled, say researchers. Cultivating a culture of curiosity is good for business and it’s good for your conference too.” To cultivate curiosity among your participants, start with modeling it. “The assumptions we use to plan our conferences often limit fresh perspectives,” he says. “We can fall out of touch with the deeper questions and lose the willingness to ponder.” ### Other Links of Note **When it comes to communications**, who should make the decisions? *Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog* [shares a few considerations (opens in a new tab)](https://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2018/06/26/making-comms-decision/) . **Small organizations can have a big impact.** The GuideStar blog serves up [tips for better performance (opens in a new tab)](https://trust.guidestar.org/small-but-mighty-seven-ways-small-nonprofits-can-boost-their-performance) . **While Facebook still reigns supreme**, *Recode* reports that users are spending nearly the [same amount of time on Instagram (opens in a new tab)](https://www.recode.net/2018/6/25/17501224/instagram-facebook-snapchat-time-spent-growth-data) . (DNY59/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Raegan Johnson](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Raegan Johnson is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Tags: [#attendee engagement](https://associationsnow.com/tag/attendee-engagement/) [#continuous improvement](https://associationsnow.com/tag/continuous-improvement/) [#event planning](https://associationsnow.com/tag/event-planning/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) [#Mid-Level Professional](https://associationsnow.com/tag/mid-level-professional/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoTerin Bates, MBA, CAE, CX-PRO, Shares Her Experience at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/terin-bates-mba-cae-cx-pro-shares-her-experience-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [ArticleWhat Meeting Planners Miss About AttendeesDecember 12, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/12/what-meeting-planners-miss-about-attendees/) - [ArticleReport: Meeting Planners Focused on Costs, EngagementNovember 4, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/11/04/report-meeting-planners-focused-on-costs-engagement/) - [VideoThe Adaptive Leader: Integrating Values and Strategy to Thrive Under New LeadershipDecember 15, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/15/the-adaptive-leader-integrating-values-and-strategy-to-thrive-under-new-leadership/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2018%2F06%2F27%2Fwednesday-buzz-always-be-improving%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !