How to Estimate Attendance
Some performance measures at the output result level require us to estimate "the number of people attending" an activity. Training is one of them, but counting people at a training workshop is pretty easy because the numbers are generally small and the activity is pretty much organized. But how about estimating the number of people attending a Food Fair, Road Show or such open access, open air activity? The challenge is around validity and accuracy.
There are several ways to count attendance in this scenario but I will describe one method I often use. Let’s imagine it’s a Solar Fair. A solar fair is an exhibition event where solar entrepreneurs, consumers, regulators, and other stakeholders meet for information exchange, technology promotion and exchange. It may or may not include the actual sale of the solar products to end-users.
You want to count the number of people attending this fair in a non-intrusive way. You could ask people to fill-in an attendance registers but this could be too intrusive someone might ask "why do you want my personal details when I’m here just to see what is happening" sometimes it might not even be possible because of literacy problems. Imagine you are conducting the fair in a remote rural location where your intervention logic tells you solar products are most needed because there is no grid electricity but the community has an equally low access to education and they cannot write or read! Of course you can ask and write their names on your own. But imagine 5000 people attending. You will come out with a sore thumb and numb hand! So what is the alternative?
The following steps might help
Some performance measures at the output result level require us to estimate "the number of people attending" an activity. Training is one of them, but counting people at a training workshop is pretty easy because the numbers are generally small and the activity is pretty much organized. But how about estimating the number of people attending a Food Fair, Road Show or such open access, open air activity? The challenge is around validity and accuracy.
There are several ways to count attendance in this scenario but I will describe one method I often use. Let’s imagine it’s a Solar Fair. A solar fair is an exhibition event where solar entrepreneurs, consumers, regulators, and other stakeholders meet for information exchange, technology promotion and exchange. It may or may not include the actual sale of the solar products to end-users.
You want to count the number of people attending this fair in a non-intrusive way. You could ask people to fill-in an attendance registers but this could be too intrusive someone might ask "why do you want my personal details when I’m here just to see what is happening" sometimes it might not even be possible because of literacy problems. Imagine you are conducting the fair in a remote rural location where your intervention logic tells you solar products are most needed because there is no grid electricity but the community has an equally low access to education and they cannot write or read! Of course you can ask and write their names on your own. But imagine 5000 people attending. You will come out with a sore thumb and numb hand! So what is the alternative?
The following steps might help
- Design colourful or “message” cards
- Place a given number e.g. (1000) in a jar at a prominent entry point or stand within the stand. It is even better if the fair is being conducted in a closed place with one entry or exit point.
- Encourage attendees to “take one card” each as they visit the stands
- At the end of the fair count the remaining cards.
- Subtract the remaining cards from the number you placed in the jar (Never forget to record the number of cards you placed in the jar at the beginning of the event!)
- The result should indicate to you the number of people who attended the fair.