Annual evaluation

An external evaluation shows the PIE Center’s research, communications and training programs strongly resonate with audiences.

Sebastian Galindo, a research assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, revamped last year’s evaluation to make it more user friendly. He distributed the survey to about 1,800 email addresses related to PIE Center research, training and communications efforts. Just shy of 300 respondents participated in the online evaluation and largely gave positive reviews of the PIE Center.

“I personally believe the PIE Center has done an incredible job with meeting the needs of the communities it supports. As I become more involved in these activities, I feel certain I will be able to utilize the resources provided by the PIE Center to enhance my skills and abilities.” — Evaluation respondent

Eighty percent of respondents said they were aware of the PIE Center’s training programs in 2013, such as Easy as PIE webinars, tools and in-person presentations. More than half the respondents reported engaging with either a training program or some form of PIE Center communications, including social media, the website or printed materials.

Comparatively, 62 percent of respondents were aware of the PIE Center’s research activities and 20 percent partnered on research projects.

Respondents, however, reported the highest levels of satisfaction with the PIE Center’s research. At least 80 percent of respondents said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the relevancy, usefulness and quality of the research, and 95 percent indicated they would recommend PIE Center research to a friend or colleague.

Respondents cited infrequent social media posts and trouble navigating the website as areas for PIE Center communicators to improve. Overall, 88 percent of respondents said they received the right amount of communication from the PIE Center.

PIE Center communicators hope to improve next year’s results with the launch of a redesigned website in May. The new site places more emphasis on social media channels and includes more navigation options for visitors to more easily access research summaries, news articles, trainings and more.

Despite the high levels of awareness, many respondents wanted even more in-person trainings and a better understanding of how PIE Center services could help or impact them.

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(percent satisfied or very satisfied)